Linfield manager David Healy is absolutely buzzing after his squad made it five straight league wins, especially after getting slammed 3-0 on opening day. Kyle McClean curled home a late winner against Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park, pushing the Blues clear in second place and just one point behind leaders Coleraine. This team is showing some serious fight right when it matters most.
Healy Shuts Down the Haters
Forget the noise, because Healy is having none of it. He’s been fired up by the team’s response to that ugly 3-0 home defeat by Ballymena United on opening day, and he’s not holding back about the “negativity” surrounding the club’s summer signings. “There’s always negativity around some of the people we bring into this football club, that players aren’t that good and whatever else,” Healy told BBC Sport NI. He knows winning is crucial at Linfield and always takes responsibility when they don’t, but let’s be real: he’s also quick to point out, “I must be some manager if we keep winning games and winning trophies year on year.” The man is right! They might be “a bit shorter on players” than previous seasons, without 24 or 25 on the roster, but what they’ve got is “really tight-knit and a togetherness.” After that Ballymena game, things could have gone sideways, but credit to the players, they chose to fight.
Kyle McClean and the Fightback
Kyle McClean himself echoed his manager’s sentiments, and you gotta love hearing it directly from the players. He feels their 2-1 league win over Glentoran, which came right after the Ballymena loss, was the moment they highlighted their true fighting qualities. McClean admitted there was “a lot of noise after the first game of the season and understandably so.” The team was “hugely disappointed ourselves,” but they knew they “had to come out fighting.” He highlighted the Glentoran game, calling it a “derby game” where the opponents “were coming to put a nail in our coffin,” but that, he said, “was the start of the fightback.” You can feel the collective energy, the guys “all been fighting for each other,” and it clearly showed tonight.
This team is locked in at second in the league, just a hair’s breadth from the top. That kind of fight after an early stumble? That’s what builds a championship contender. We’re just one point back, and the momentum is clearly on our side. Bring on the next challenge, because these Blues are ready to keep proving everyone wrong.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply