Lavery has the potential to make NI impact: Healy
LINFIELD boss David Healy believes striker Shayne Lavery has warranted his call-up to the Northern Ireland squad for the World Cup 2022 qualifying double-header against Italy and Bulgaria, with a friendly versus the USA in between.
The 23-year-old has been in sensational form this season, having bagged an impressive 19 goals so far.
Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough drafted Lavery into the panel following the withdrawal of the injured Conor Washington and Liam Boyce, who withdrew for personal reasons.
It meant that Lavery missed Linfield’s crucial Danske Bank Premiership game at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Tuesday, which resulted in the Blues crashing to their first defeat in six outings.
Northern Ireland’s record goalscorer Healy reckons that Baraclough should have every confidence in Lavery if he is needed tonight against Italy in Parma, the USA friendly on Sunday or next week’s clash against Bulgaria at Windsor Park.
“It was great news for the club that Shayne was called up for his country,” beamed Healy. “We certainly missed his work rate and craft in front of goal in our game at Ballymena, that’s for sure. We missed his threat in the box.
“But Shayne has warranted his call-up and we wish him well going into these games.
“There have been a few lads who have dropped out, so hopefully he will get his chance, albeit because of someone else’s misfortune.”
Healy reckons the bigger the game, the better it is for Lavery.
He added: “There is no question that if called upon, Shayne has the potential to make an impact.
“He is the form striker in our league at the minute. People may judge him simply because he is playing in the Irish League. The same thing could be said about the lad they brought in, Dion Charles, from Accrington Stanley, in League One in England.
“Ian still has the experience of Kyle Lafferty and Josh Magennis, but for me Shayne has earned and warranted his call-up.
“It would be great for everyone at Linfield and everyone else, the Irish League in general, if he could get some minutes.
“If you are scoring goals at any level, your confidence is high. Shayne is full of confidence at the minute and his goals prove that. If he is in-form, he’s in-form. I don’t think anything should be taken away from Shayne because he’s playing at the level he’s at. We wish not only Shayne well, but the rest of the team as well.”