Healy hat-trick

[Beefy]

David Healy said it was "a proud night" for him after becoming the first player to score two hat-tricks for Northern Ireland in international matches.
The striker scored three of his side's goals in a 4-1 win over Liechtenstein.

"You don't score many hat-tricks in your career so to grab two in the same qualifying series is special," he said.

[Beefy]

Maybe Wisey will stop using him on the subs bench and hopefully he can score some for Leeds now

[Jibbers]

Ita amazing how well he plays for his country and then looks average for Leeds

[shortfuse0_1]

Originally Posted by Jibbers

Ita amazing how well he plays for his country and then looks average for Leeds

Don't they all look average for leeds?

[Jibbers]

Originally Posted by shortfuse0_1

Don't they all look average for leeds?

Fair comment!! Leeds have som good players they dont gel as a unit. Would Ken hold his hands up and say he made a mistake with bringing in Wise? Me thinks not and end of day the buck stops with the manager who is solely judged on results and league position. Bye bye leeds, bye bye

[sportbilly]

Originally Posted by Beefy

Maybe Wisey will stop using him on the subs bench and hopefully he can score some for Leeds now

here here

[jayp]

healy will no doubt be knackered on friday and start on the bench.
i read somewhere that wise has gone to ireland to watch the game on wednesday, to see what he can do about healy, why he doesnt score for leeds .playing him as a striker might help dennis.

[Beefy]

Hat - Trick hero
_42724509_healy2.jpg

[jayp]

Sweden coach Lars Lagerback has admitted David Healy poses the biggest threat to his side in this week's Euro 2008 qualifier.

Northern Ireland play host to Group D leaders Sweden in a top-of-the-table clash on Wednesday night.

Healy goes into the game in fine fettle after netting a hat-trick in Saturday's win over Liechtenstein and Lagerback is wary of the threat posed by the Leeds man.

"Healy is always running and shoots from every angle," said Lagerback. "He is very effective. If they can, Northern Ireland play directly at him.

"It's important that Olof (Mellberg) and the boys watch him and do not let him in behind the defensive line.

"But they have been good at controlling fast players in earlier matches."

[jayp]

International
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A few words to the wise about our national hero
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Monday, March 26, 2007

By Steven Beacom

Dennis Wise is coming to Windsor Park on Wednesday night to see Northern Ireland take on Sweden. The Leeds United boss is hoping to find out how to get the best out of David Healy.



If he is successful, the Yorkshire club will not only avoid relegation to League One, they'll be promoted to the Premiership next season and qualify for Europe in the campaign after that.

The thing is it's not rocket science in relation to the man the Northern Ireland fans call King David.

DO play him from the start week in week out.

DON'T keep him on the bench until the team are losing and hope he can find a late equaliser.

DO play him as a centre forward.

DON'T play him out wide. He is a fine crosser of the ball but he does his best work inside the box, not on the wing.

DO play a target man alongside him.

DON'T play him with a forward of similar stature.

DO provide service from the flanks.

DON'T just lump it forward in the hope that he will chase the ball down and do something with it.

There you go Dennis.

Follow those rules and you can save yourself a trip.

Okay then, maybe it's not quite as simple as that, but you get the point.

What is straightforward is that Northern Ireland DO play to Healy's strengths and Leeds DON'T.

Lawrie Sanchez has often stated that his team is specifically set up for Healy, such is his importance to the side - a point illustrated in the 4-1 victory in Liechtenstein on Saturday when the Killyleagh man scored a hat-trick.

With the match ball tucked under his arm, Healy was asked a question he has heard many times - why does he perform so well at international level yet sometimes struggles at club level?

He replied: "For Northern Ireland I always play with a big man alongside me and of course when you have someone like Keith Gillespie whipping in great deliveries all the time that helps. He has created a lot of my goals."

Maybe Wise should buy Gillespie then.

While Gillespie is setting up Healy these days, both of them know what it is like to be in a Northern Ireland team who cannot find the net. For 1298 minutes to be precise.

That barren run remains a driving force for Healy, who now has 27 goals in his 55 internationals.

"It wasn't nice when we created a new European record for not scoring, especially because I played in all 13 games and as a striker I was the person people were looking to to find the net," he says.

"That is a major motivating factor me and inspires me as I don't want to go through that again. I still get as big a buzz scoring for Northern Ireland as I did when I started my international career."

It is hoped that goal number 28 will come against Sweden on Wednesday night.

"We can look forward to the Swedish game with the added incentive that with a win we can go top of the group," says the 27-year-old, who still harbours dreams of playing in the top flight.

He says: "I'd love to play in the Premiership. That is everyone's dream in England.

"I'm 27 now but I'm not going to give up. You just keep going and hope that it will work out eventually."

In the meantime Northern Ireland fans are just grateful that Healy continues to play for them. Long may King David reign.