Linfield boss David Healy's concern at 'revolving door' problem at Windsor Park

It's the best of times, it’s the worst of times at Windsor Park as David Healy admits he’s never known an injury crisis like it during his nine years in South Belfast. In this Tale of Two Linfields, one side of the story is of a team sitting pretty at the top of the Premiership table.

On the other side of the ledger, Healy keeps seeing his players drop like flies, with reigning Ulster Footballer of the Year Kyle McClean and Euan East the latest to be facing a spell on the sidelines.

The ex-Northern Ireland star said: “I read things about one or two other clubs missing three or four players week in, week out. If somebody had seen our injury worries over the last three months, they might be shocked.

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“We’ve not had three out – we’ve had six or seven out. We’ve four or five players who haven’t kicked a ball this year. Terry Hayes (physio) has been at the football club for more than 40 years and he hasn’t ever seen an injury list as long.

“It seems like a revolving door at the minute.”

Yet Healy is proud of how everyone at the club is pulling together to dig out results like their hard-fought 2-0 win over Ballymena United at the weekend, with sub Rhys Annett heading in the vital breakthrough goal before Kirk Millar sealed the victory at the death.

“We’ve fought and battled it and it’s an absolute credit to the players in the dressing-room at the minute,” he said.

“We get on with it. Nobody ever looks at Linfield, because it’s Linfield. Nobody cares because we’re supposed to have a big squad, but everybody else has got a big squad, sometimes bigger squads than we have.

“Credit to the medical staff, credit to my backroom staff. We’re doing our best day in, day out to try to put ourselves in with an opportunity of having some sort of successful season.”

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Young gun Annett is one of those who has had his fitness problems this season but having just turned 20 last week, his impact from the bench against Ballymena was a statement of intent.

“It was a perfect week for me, with my birthday and then to do what I did topped it off for me,” he said. “I’m a happy man now.

“I picked up an injury against Dundela and it set me back but thankfully I’m feeling better.

“Even with all the players we have injured, and the ones playing with injuries, we’re doing very well.

“We just need to do our job and not worry about anyone else and so far we have.”

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