King of the Blues is set to do it his way

King of the Blues is set to do it his way

21 October 2015

DAVID Healy has made a winning start to his tenure as manager of Linfield FC.

The Blues beat Warrenpoint 3-0 in the Killyleagh man’s first match in charge on Saturday to go top of the Irish Premiership.

Northern Ireland’s record-breaking goalscorer took over the reins at Windsor Park last week from Lee Feeney, who has moved to Newport, and aims to make the Blues a trophy-winning force again.

Healy — a lifelong Linfield fan — was paraded in front of the club’s fans prior to last Wednesday night’s JBE League Cup clash with Ballinamallard United, but watched from the stands as the Blues were beaten 1-0.

However, Saturday’s win has just the fillip required and now the 36 year-old can’t wait for the next game against Carrick Rangers this weekend. 

“I can’t wait to get going again, “ he said. “I am going to work my socks off and give the players and staff every opportunity to be successful.”

“Saturday’s display against Warrenpoint was okay. We rode our luck a bit and people will say Warrenpoint should have scored, but a win is a win.”

“I have supported Linfield since I was a young boy, so when the chance came to be manager of what I believe is a great club, I jumped at it,” he added.

Healy’s arrival at Windsor Park comes a few months after he moved back to Northern Ireland from England. He currently lives in Bangor with his wife, Emma, and their three young children.

He has been a coach with the IFA and has worked closely with fellow former Jim Magilton in the Northern Ireland U-17 set-up.

He was due to take up a full-time coaching position with the IFA, but changed his plans when the Linfield job came up.

Healy, who famously played under Sir Alex Ferguson while at Manchester United, says he has a passion and desire to achieve for Linfield.

I know what this football club means to our supporters and the staff,” he said. “We haven’t won the league for a few years and that has to change.

“I will do things my way, it will be my call if things go wrong. I like straight talking, and that works both ways, but if a player steps out of line for whatever reason, I will not hold back.

“I have worked with some of the best managers in the game and I have picked up bits and pieces of management skills from them all, but I am my own man and have a fierce desire to win.

“Some people think I am quiet and laid back, but I can assure you that I am passionate about taking Linfield back to the top. I don’t want a honeymoon period. I take over with us still in three competitions this season and I want to win all three.”

Healy accepts that the job of Linfield manager comes with a great deal of expectation.

“Of course there will be pressure, but I’ve never shied away from pressure. There was pressure when I played for Northern Ireland and didn’t score for a long time, but I handled it and I believe I can handle the pressure as manager too.

“People who know me will say I’m my own biggest critic. I know that if we lose a game it is my head on the block and it will be my responsibility.

“I’ve had questions about whether I’m tough enough to be a manager. My answer is that I wouldn’t have played for the clubs I’ve played for or won as many Northern Ireland caps as I did if I didn’t have an edge.

“I want my players to have that edge, whether it’s a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday night at training, or whether it’s on a Saturday match day. I want my players to play with that edge.”

He added: “The team is going to reflect my personality and I don’t want this Linfield team to be soft. We’re not going to roll over for anyone.

“I know I have a good group of players here and together we will do everything in our powers to take Linfield back to the top once  again.”