Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SALAM DUNK
Delight for Ahmed as he sets seal on victory to prove he’s up to speed now
LINFIELD midfielder Ahmed Salam believes he can now meet the demands of the Danske Bank Premiership.
The 21-year-old arrived at Windsor Park on loan from Hull City in the summer and had to be patient waiting on his chance, but is now showing the form that brought him on to the radar of Blues boss David Healy.
Salam produced another fine display as the champions swatted away the challenge of Glenavon at Mourneview Park on
Saturday night.
Christy Manzinga hit a glorious double, with Salam also getting in on the scoring act – his third in 17 outings in a blue shirt.
“I’ve worked hard in training, I now feel fit and confident, and I think it’s beginning to show in my performances,” said Salam.
“I know I need to do everything I can to stay in the team, so I have to keep up the high standards on the training ground and on the pitch.
“I think it would be fair to say that I’ve grown into the side.
“It took me a bit of time to adapt to the Irish League when I came over, which is not surprising.
“I now feel I’ve done quite well in recent weeks. I know what I need to do and what it takes to play in this team.”
Salam reckons the game was done and dusted when he rammed in the third goal, just on the half hour.
“Our first goal set the tone and we just took off after that,” he added. “It put our opponents on the backfoot and gave us the momentum to go on and win the game.
“We knew at that point more goals would come. We actually could have had more.
“Christy works hard in training, and he deserves all the plaudits and goals he gets.
“I was delighted to get our third. I think that really sealed the deal.”
Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton (inset) admitted his boys were blown away in the first half – and it was nothing to do with Storm Arwen.
“Linfield’s confidence was sky high, and I suppose the score could have been more only for James (Taylor, keeper), I thought he was excellent,” he said. “Sometimes you have got up hold up your hand and say we were up against a team that was better than us.
“They really showed their class. They are a top side. Their movement and inter-changing between Kirk Millar, Jordan Stewart and Salam was just too much for us.”