SANCHEZ BACKS HEALY TO SHINESanchez - Healy no gambleFulham boss Lawrie Sanchez insists he has not taken a risk by signing David Healy and will continue raiding clubs from the lower leagues.
Northern Ireland striker Healy joined the Cottagers for £1.5million from Leeds on Friday and arrives with a magnificent international goalscoring record of 29 in 59 games.
The 27-year-old has not been as prolific in club football but Sanchez is convinced he will make an impact in the Barclays Premier League.
"David has done tremendously well for Northern Ireland. He's scored 18 goals in his 24 games under me," he said.
"He moved to Leeds hoping they'd get back in to the Premier League but it started to go wrong. I have no doubt his finishing is of Premiership quality.
"Now he has the chance to prove that. I don't think signing him is a risk. The price we paid for him was quite good.
"David will score goals. He got a hat-trick against Spain, scored a winner against England and two against Sweden.
"You're not the leading goalscorer in Euro 2008 qualifying if you're not top quality."
Sanchez continued: "At Leeds David predominantly came off the bench or played out wide.
"With Northern Ireland we played him in the position he likes, which is through the middle. We've given him opportunities and he's taken them.
"He has the quality to take them. You can see in training he can finish.
"He has a strong pedigree - he came through the ranks at Manchester United and cost Preston £1.5million in 2001."
Three of Sanchez's new signings have come from the Coca-Cola Football League with Diomansy Kamara signing from West Brom and Chris Baird leaving Southampton to join Healy at Craven Cottage.
The former Northern Ireland coach believes buying players with unproven top-flight track records is no more dangerous than looking overseas for new recruits.
"What tends to happen is that foreign players who do well are given a chance in the Premier League," he said.
"Half of them make it, half of them don't, but people don't think anything of it if they fail because they came from a foreign club.
"People seem to question it more when a player has been around the English game for a fair time but has not had a chance at the top."
PA Sport