Proud Mulgrew to tie Bailie’s record
LINFIELD captain Jamie Mulgrew will equal the club’s record of 36 European appearances held by legend Noel Bailie tonight.
The midfield maestro, however, will — as always — be focused on the team mission when they aim to finish the job against Qarabag.
The Blues can still make the Europa League group stages after their superb 3-2 first-leg playoff win.
“It will be a huge honour for me to match Noel’s record, a legend of this football club and someone who has helped me enormously in my career,” said Mulgrew.
“It will be a very proud moment for me but this is the biggest game of our lives and the players are here to do a job.
“It’s a fantastic stadium and playing surface, everything you would look for.
“Everyone is thoroughly looking forward to the massive challenge.
“The preparation has been first class and it gives us a platform to perform.
“Since the manager has been here the bond has got stronger in the group and we are all pulling in the same direction. We have a quality squad and everyone is in good form.
“So far the manager has used the squad very well and all the players are excited.
“We have certainly come out here with plenty to fight for. The carrot is dangling in front of us, there’s a massive prize that awaits the winners.
“From a personal point of view, as the rounds have gone on you get hungrier and hungrier and we are very close to achieving something special.
“You don’t want the adventure to stop and we have something to fight for.
“Our performance in the first leg has given us an opportunity to come here with a 3-2 advantage and something to hold onto.” THE biggest threat for Linfield perhaps is not one of Qarabag’s players, but instead is other external forces.
For instance, the humidity and heat will make this a much more energy-sapping game than the first leg, and for those who argue they’ve had experience in similar conditions against Sutjeska, this time they’ll do a lot more chasing than in Montenegro.
Another is the clock. Concede