Friday 19 December 2014 18:05, UK
Ronny Deila says he has plenty of sympathy for Aleksandar Tonev after the banned winger resumed a seven-game domestic suspension ahead of Celtic's trip to Dundee United on Sunday.
Bulgarian Tonev, on a season-long loan from Aston Villa, was described as neither a credible nor a reliable witness by an SFA-appointed judicial panel earlier this week which reviewed an appeal against his ban for using racist language towards Aberdeen's Shay Logan on September 13.
The SFA's disciplinary rules, like civil court cases, do not require guilt to be established beyond reasonable doubt, unlike criminal cases, and Deila feels more proof was needed.
"You can't judge a person on word against word, in my opinion," said the Norwegian. "You will never do that in any real court.
"There is no proof and we still believe him. We will continue to do that when we don't have any other proof. You call another person a racist just on a word? I can't understand this happening.
There is no proof and we still believe him. We will continue to do that when we don't have any other proof
"For me, if you are going to judge someone you have to do it with real proof and not word against word. Because a Bulgarian guy, with not very good English, is going to defend himself? Not so easy."
Celtic vowed to address issues raised in the proceedings with the SFA but there appears to be no recourse for challenging the decision again.
"I don't think there is any possibility to go further," Deila said. "We have to take the penalty but we still feel it is not right and we believe Aleksandar in full.
"He still has a future here. Of course it is going to be difficult being seven games out but that's football. The most important thing is we stay behind him and support him.
"We are going to give him some days off to go to Bulgaria for Christmas and when he comes back he will be fighting to get back in the team. He is very disappointed of course but he moves on. He knows his innocence and he will just keep on going."
There was more controversy in the SFA disciplinary procedures this week when Dundee United midfielder Paul Paton was banned for two games for spitting despite being publicly backed by his alleged victim, Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes.
The suspension rules Paton out of an awkward visit Celtic on Sunday as he awaits the procurator fiscal to consider charges against him for an alleged social assault on Bhoys goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska.
When asked about the issue, Deila said: "I don't think we will use any energy on that. We are looking forward to the game and this is outside the pitch.
"I was at Dundee last weekend and they are very, very nice people. There is a good culture at that club. Again, we don't have any proof about that. It's a football game and we are looking forward to it."
