Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington says Town striker David Healy is a long way from the top of his game having rarely played first team football since moving to Sunderland in 2008. The former Norwich manager says Healy will get better and better now he’s playing regularly for the Blues.
Worthington said: "I have watched David recently and you can tell he has not played football for a long time on a regular basis.
"It shows the effect it has in physical sharpness and the mental sharpness. That's a fact. The more minutes David can get with Ipswich, Sunderland, wherever he's at, the better for him and the better for us.
"He's got a long way to go. When you have not started for your club side in the league for near on a year that is a hell of a long time.
"When you get five minutes here, 20 minutes there and 60 minutes in a cup game, it is not enough.
"Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, that's where you get your sharpness. We have a number of players in that situation. That is one of the unfortunate things with our squad at the moment."
Healy will be hoping to add to his record 35 goals in 78 games when Northern Ireland take on Albania in Tirana on Wednesday. Town defender Gareth McAuley dropped out of the squad yesterday due to a groin injury.