Healy hoping he can catch Roy's eye

Nov 19 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

DAVID Healy is hoping Roy Keane turns on his television tonight and sees the “real” him. But the striker’s international manager has warned that he may have to leave the Stadium of Light in January if he fails to win round the Black Cats boss.

The 29-year-old is one of international football’s deadliest strikers but has never successfully translated his form to the club scene.

Healy has 35 goals in 69 games for Northern Ireland but he scored just four league goals in his debut season in the Premier League. That did not deter Keane from paying £2m for the ex-Manchester United trainee but he quickly seemed to cool on the player.

His only start for Sunderland was in the Carling Cup against League One Northampton, and was cut short at half-time.

The winner of the golden boot in qualifying for the last European Championships is as bemused as anyone by the disparity and desperate to prove his worth to Keane.

“I get asked a lot why I do so well at international level,” he said. “It’s a question I’d love to answer and I’m sure that Roy Keane, Roy Hodgson and Dennis Wise (his former managers at Fulham and Leeds United respectively) would love to know the answer.”

Having only had 31 minutes of first-team football since his country’s 4-0 win over San Marino in mid-October, Healy is anxious to play and hopes the presence of his club-mate Márton Fülöp at Windsor Park might help him to catch the

eye of his club manager. “I’ve played a couple of reserve games which aren’t the biggest of occasions but given the opportunities have been limited lately you take any minutes that come along,” said Healy. “It’s a chance to remind yourself of how good you are.

“Northern Ireland fans have seen enough of me, the Sunderland manager hopefully hasn’t really seen the real me. You’re always trying to prove to people, be it a reserve-team game, or the first team or in training that you’re more than capable of holding your own against whoever you’re playing.

“It’s a big opportunity, it’s on TV. Whether the manager’s watching or not who knows? With Márton Fülöp (pictured left) playing for Hungary he might be flicking round to see how we’re doing.”

Healy is by no means the only mainstay of Nigel Worthington’s Northern Ireland squad struggling to make an impact at club level, and he will not discourage Healy from putting in a mid-season transfer request if he continues to be overlooked.

Worthington said: “The players have got to look after themselves to a point, come January they need to be forcing their way into the club teams or they’re going to have to sit down with their managers, assess the situation and if needs be either move on or go out on loan to get football.”

Meanwhile, Teemu Tainio says Sunderland’s players do not expect to be embroiled in a relegation battle, and will be doing his best to make sure they are not after an injury-hit start on Wearside.

“The players have always believed the team is too good to be in a scrap at the bottom,” said the midfielder, signed from Spurs. “Every club thinks it isn’t a bottom-three club, but you have to do it on the pitch. I’m confident we’ll do that.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here, the only problem is not playing as much as I'd like but I’ve got a chance and I’ve got to take it. There are so many games in December, it is a very important period.”

Meanwhile, Wolves hope to extend Carlos Edwards’ loan beyond December 28 despite talk of a recall for the winger.

“Mick McCarthy spoke to someone there and we’re told we might be able to keep him longer,” said chief executive Jez Moxley. “We’d hope to keep him for at least to the end of the loan period.”