Steely Healy loves the big time
Temperament is as much a factor as talent for any player hoping to survive Glasgow’s intrusive spotlight, but Rangers target David Healy is unlikely to be found wanting on either front.
Rangers manager Walter Smith and his assistant Iain Durrant looked on alongside a host of scouts from France and Spain as Healy, 27, left little doubt about his scoring prowess in Belfast on Wednesday.
His double strike took 2-1 winners Northern Ireland to the top of Group F against Sweden.
If Smith wondered whether the Leeds United striker could meet the other requirement for being a Rangers player, the ability to deal with the inevitable intense public and media scrutiny, he would have found the answer just as reassuring.
When Healy emerged from his match-winning performance against England last season, he glanced up from signing scores of autographs to see a line of security guards opening up a path to the team coach for Sven Goran Eriksson’s humbled stars.
Eighteen months on, he needs the same level of protection to complete the short walk from dressing rooms to transport home.
No longer can he wander out, bag slung over his shoulder. He still obliges as many autograph hunters as he can but now has a bodyguard to make sure he reaches his car in one piece.
Life has never been the same for Healy since the September night he put England to shame and the way his profile has risen since should stand him in good stead for any summer move to Ibrox.
When he opened the Flagship shopping centre in Bangor last June, thousands chose to spend the day in his company rather than watch England’s opening World Cup tie on television. After a ’ penalty shoot-out and other novelty events, an hour was set aside for a signing session.
Three hours later, Healy eventually succumbed to writer’s cramp, with thousands still waiting their turn.
His new David Healy Talisman clothing and merchandising range sold a projected year’s worth of stock in the opening four months.
And when Belfast Council chose him to switch on the Christmas lights last year, it brought tens of thousands flocking into the city centre.
As a further measure of his growing stature, in December, he became the first Northern Ireland player since Pat Jennings to be voted Texaco All-Ireland Sports Star of the Year. From Roy Keane to Paul McGrath to Liam Brady, the football section of this prestigious awards ceremony had always gone to players from the Republic, but Healy bucked the trend at a gala occasion in Dublin, hosted by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Aherne.
T h r o u g h o u t i t a l l , h e h a s remained down-to-earth and approachable, even after further match-winning heroics on Wednesday that made his goalscoring statistics more remarkable than ever.
His nine goals in Group F make him the tournament’s top scorer, just ahead of Germany’s Lukas Podolski, and matches England’s entire output. His overall Northern Ireland tally of 29 from 56 appearances is only one behind Alan Shearer’s England career total.
Healy even found time to defend his under-fire Leeds manager Dennis Wise, who was taunted by supporters over the striker's contrasting fortunes for club and country.
"I spoke to Wisey and he took it all in good humour," he said. "He shook my hand and told me I was terrific.
People have asked him why I haven’t been playing for Leeds, but really I have. I just haven’t scored the goals.
"The rest of the Ireland lads were giving me stick for not getting hat-trick after that late save by the goalkeeper but I just love being part of this team.
"We train hard and play for each other and, hopefully, when the group finishes in November, we will get the biggest prize of the lot — qualification for the finals.
"The others are sitting up and taking notice now and Sweden definitely gave us the respect we deserve. The chance is definitely there for us and we are determined to take it."
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