TV schedule is stacking odds against Linfield, blasts Healy

■ Blues boss calls on NIFL to stop piling on pressure in an already hectic season

LINFIELD manager David Healy has called on the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) and BBC NI to select Friday night television games “in a proper manner”, believing fixture scheduling has been unfair to his club over the last three weeks.

The Blues face Crusaders at Seaview tomorrow night in a televised match having defeated Dungannon Swifts 2-0 at Windsor Park on Tuesday. At the end of last month they were in a similar situation, playing Larne on a

Friday on BBC just three days after facing Glentoran.

What frustrates Healy most is that on both occasions his side’s opponents in the Friday fixtures had not played in midweek, unlike Linfield, meaning less time for the champions to prepare.

Ironically, Crusaders were in the same boat last week, travelling to Coleraine on a Friday after playing on the Tuesday night when the Bannsiders had an evening off. Healy is not the first Irish League manager to question this season’s top-flight schedule, which has been hectic

David Healy due to Covid-19 issues, but the TV debate opens up a different can of worms. The table-topping Blues, of course, are a big draw and strong viewing figures are expected for their game against fifth-placed Crusaders.

The Linfield boss, whose side could move 11 points clear with victory at Seaview, said: “The frustrating thing again is that we are on a Friday night TV game having played on a Tuesday night and the opposition didn’t play on Tuesday. We had the same scenario against Larne a few weeks ago. We have 48 hours to prepare while Crusaders haven’t played since last Friday, so they have a full week to prepare for what is a big game.

“I know other managers have been critical of the fixture lists this season and I know it has been a difficult season, but I think it is only fair if the league and BBC, or whoever else decides these things, want to put Linfield on a Friday night surely they should make sure the opposition are playing on the Tuesday night as well.”