David Healy issues Linfield a warning after being victims of previous backlash

Photo shows Linfield manager David Healy
-Credit: (Image: INPHO/Brian Little)


David Healy has issued a warning to his Linfield players to take nothing for granted against Carrick Rangers after learning the hard way last season.

Stuart King's side made the trip to Windsor Park at the end of August last year on the back of a 9-0 midweek thumping by Crusaders. A double from Danny Gibson helped them bounce back in style securing a point in a six-goal thriller, the first time they had scored three goals at Windsor in 40 years!

King's men head back there this afternoon in a very sticky situation having lost their last six games. With last year's game still fresh in his mind, Healy has let his players know what is expected of them as they look to maintain their place at the top of the Irish Premiership.

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"I can remember texting Stuart a couple of days after that defeat. They came to Windsor and we didn't capitalise on that," recalled the Linfield boss. "When you're a team and a manager on a run like that and you're asking for a bit more, and I've been there, then there's probably no better place to come than Windsor to show they're fighting for the manager, each other and the club.

"We'll take absolutely nothing for granted. We'll prepare for Carrick the same way we would prepare for Glentoran, Cliftonville or Larne. That's the mindset we will have going into Saturday."

Linfield come into the game having played last season's title challengers, Larne and Cliftonville, in quick succession. Healy saw enough from the two sides to expect a similar battle this time around again, with one or two others also fighting it out.

"I'd expect the three teams to be fighting it out again this season and you could probably add a couple more in as well," he said. "Everyone is probably in and around where they should be in the table at the minute. Larne will get to where they should be once they catch up with their games.

"It's certainly not going to be a one-horse race by anybody, it may not even be two, although that could happen in the last three or four weeks of the season. I would envisage that between now and January and then on to March there will probably be a few teams who believe they can still be successful."

After slipping to defeat at the hands of Larne Healy was delighted to see his side dig in and get a result at Solitude. he said: "When you win leagues or 'doubles' consistently it can be an easy one to build character. We've been there and had it over the last number of years.

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"On the other side of that, albeit we've won the League Cup and enjoyed the highs of being in the finals, when there's disappointments like the Irish Cup final or the European game or last Saturday's defeat that needs to build the characteristics required to give us the best chance come April and May next year."

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