Following Lawrie Sanchez’ resignation in favour of leading Fulham in the Premiership, David Healy has said the pressure is on the IFA to ensure they get the right personnel to maintain Norn Iron’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008.
Some say the resignation was poorly timed and that neither Fulham nor Sanchez kept to their word, but let’s face it, the business world and therefore the football world is dog-eat-dog and Sanchez was faced with a decision he had to make. He made it, and in no doubt will be fully satisfied with the decision he’s chosen. Good luck Lawrie, thanks for the memories, let’s all move on.
We need the right person for the job and David Healy is more than aware of this. Lawrie got the best out of him; Dennis Wise was not so successful. In fact, Lawrie seems to have done a fairly decent job with numerous players who have not replicated the same form with their clubs. That said, there’s hardly likely to be any clubs with support quite like the GAWA.
“Lawrie was great for Northern Ireland and obviously it is very sad to see him go,” said Healy speaking with the Belfast Telly.
"I have to say though that it has been on the cards ever since Northern Ireland started to do really well. All players in England want to play in the Premiership and all managers are the same. It was no secret that Lawrie wanted to be a boss in the top flight and I wish him well, as all the players would.
"Certainly he was great for me with Northern Ireland. He showed faith in me and I'd like to think I repaid that faith.
"He's going to be missed but the nature of football is that while Lawrie has gone, we now have to look to his replacement to carry on his great work.
"This is a big decision for the IFA. It is up to them to get the right man and keep us moving forward. I know all the players are keen to see what happens next. We have put ourselves in a good position to qualify for Euro 2008 and because of that and our recent success it is a much more glamorous job now than when Lawrie took over.
"We need someone like Lawrie, who was his own man. He didn't care what anyone else thought of him. All he wanted was to get the best out of the team and he did that. He also provided organisation and discipline, which has been vital these last couple of years.
"I don't think it would matter to the players if a foreigner was brought in. The thing that matters is that the IFA get the right man for the job, no matter where he comes from."
Suffice to say, Healy won the Harp Football Writers’ International Personality of the Season award for the third time, beating off strong competition from Jonny Evans and Stephen Craigan. No surprise there.
So come on Boycie and Wells. Show us where your negotiating skills can get us and dig deep. Norn Iron are top of the qualifying Group. If this slips, you’ll get the rap. Strong favourites are Nigel Worthington, Jimmy Nicholl, Jim Magilton and maybes big Iain Dowie, if only Simon Jordan would give his head peace.
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