Road to SW6

What do you say to one of the brightest striking talents in your youth ranks when it comes to contract discussions? Don’t leave or perhaps give it some time? These are both quandaries that Sir Alex Ferguson had to deal with back in 2000 when an exciting young striker named David Healy came knocking at the manager’s door. “At no stage was he pushing me through the exit,” reminisced Healy. “But I just felt my opportunities were going to be limited and I just wanted to play.”

Such was the young Downpatrick born strikers’ ambition that he saw his future elsewhere and following a successful loan spell with Preston North End, then manager, David Moyes was keen to make the transfer a permanent one. His impact at Deepdale was immediate, it was Healy’s goals that propelled Preston all the way to the Play-Off Final, losing out to Bolton and in so doing almost achieved his ambition on leaving United of “being back in the Premiership as quickly as possible.”

During his time in the North West Healy often partnered fellow United academy graduate John Macken but also with a player more familiar with the Whites faithful, Brian McBride; and the Northern Ireland ace has nothing but admiration for the current incumbent of the captain’s armband at Craven Cottage. “I actually made my Preston debut alongside Brian at Bramall Lane and we developed a very good understanding,” revealed David. “I’m sure I am not alone when I say this but he is the sort of player any striker wants to play alongside. He is such a hardworking player, not just for his strike partner but for the team as a whole; I’m looking forward to linking up with him again.”

It didn’t matter for which team he was banging the goals in for on the domestic front, one thing was guaranteed with David Healy, he would always be one of the first names on the team sheet for Northern Ireland. Mention the national side and David’s chest visibly seems to puff up with a sense of pride from a man who always feels honoured to pull on the green and white of his country. “How can you not?” he says. “Playing for your country is such a great thing and something every player ultimately aspires to do. We have amazing support with Northern Ireland and winning games for them is a very special thing.”

Until recently however if countries drew Northern Ireland in their group they weren’t over perturbed, that was until the arrival of Lawrie Sanchez. Under his tenureship Norn Iron were propelled up into the qualification places from their group for the Euro 2008 Championships. No mean feat considering that this group includes Spain, Sweden and Denmark.

Healy, in no uncertain terms highlights the difference Sanchez made on his arrival. “He (Lawrie) was quick to put his finger on areas that we were going wrong and there was a distinct lack of confidence amongst the squad and he instilled a belief in us that we could go out there and beat teams no matter what their stature. He was always keen for us to have a go at teams in their half and get balls into the box, be it long or short and take the game to them.”

When asked whether he thinks Northern Ireland can still qualify, you can tell that although Sanchez has left, the confidence he brought with him remains, especially with the Northern Ireland number nine. “It will be difficult but we have to believe we can,” insists Healy. “We’re in a strong position, with some tough away games but we go into them believing we can perform under the pressure.”

Although Northern Ireland’s fortunes had taken a massive upturn, things at club level were far less enjoyable as David and his team-mates struggled desperately to stave off relegation with Leeds United. It was events off the field and a number of “disappointing performances on the field” that ultimately saw Leeds succumb to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history, a hard time in Healy’s career.

“It was really tough for me; I took to the people of Leeds very quickly and I would like to think they took to me also, they were always terrific to me,” he said. “There was a spell from December onwards where we just weren’t good enough, the table doesn’t lie. We were coming into training and all the talk was about administration and whether we would still have job and that’s a difficult thing to contend with. But it was a difficult time for everyone at the club.”

When Lawrie Sanchez expressed his desire to bring players to Craven Cottage that he was familiar with, it didn’t take long for the papers to start speculating about it being a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ Healy would join the ranks at Fulham. The opportunity did come for Healy to team up with his former Northern Ireland manager, as well as a number of his team-mates and having “wondered whether I might have missed out on my chance to play in the Premier League, the decision to join Fulham was obviously an easy one.”

“I think whether the lads had been here or not it would have been an easy decision, this is a massive chance for me and something I have been working towards since I left United. I spoke with Eddie Lewis about the Club and he had nothing but good things to say and since I arrived he’s been spot on with everything he said.”

Much has been made about making the step up to the Premier League and scoring goals at a higher level of football, but for Healy this isn’t an issue. “There is pressure, of course there is, but you get that pressure whoever you play for, whether it’s fighting relegation with Leeds or playing England or Spain at international level. The expectancy is always going to be there and I am ready to step up and take on this new challenge.”

After a busy summer of investment there will be some very expectant eyes watching Fulham’s progress this summer, a situation David Healy has become accustomed to ever since his development as a teen at Manchester United. The pressure is on but Healy thrives on it, just ask the multi-million pound defences of England and Spain.