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.

Photo: Action Images

mugsykets added 17:46 - Mar 2 I think the lad will do well for us. He seems to look better, sharper with every game and I'm convinced he has goals in him (especially at this level) Soon it will be Stead - who? Priskin - who? That lad at Huddersfield - who? D'avray - who? Parkin - who? etc (I think you catch my drift - I could go on...
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legoman added 17:50 - Mar 2 And if worthington says so I believe it.
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owdboy1 added 18:32 - Mar 2 Lets hope that Worthington is right & that playing for the rest of the season works. His overall career stats (excluding Internationals) are not great - 10 years , 360 games (inc. subs) , 95 goals. One goal every three games does not suggest a 20 goals a year man. However he does show some touches of class in his positioning - but who's gonna make the telling pass to him???.

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upandtown added 18:54 - Mar 2 Give the lad a chance and he will become a town legend. It sounds all too easy, a club is short of goals, go and buy a 20 goal a season striker. 2 other clubs in the championship, QPR and Coventry have both been in the same position recently, both clubs have a reasonable transfer budget, they had to make do with Priskin and Stead. One goal in 3 games doesn't mean 20 a season, but it does average over 15. that could be 15 of our previous draws this season converted into wins.

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jas0999 added 19:22 - Mar 2 Totally agree. Healy will do well for us, but anyone can see he's not 100% match sharp.
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bluechick added 20:34 - Mar 2 ITfc fans are like flowers swaying in the wind. First one way then the other. Why will Healey become a legend or even a goal scorer. 95 goals in 365 appearances does not equal 1 every 3 games, far nearer 1 in 4 & does not suggest a 30 year old (lad mugsykets?) coming good. Before the 'in Keane we trust' rubbish from the blinkered ones just think Healey (although that was a personal favour to Cork), Martin (who?) from manU & Priskin to name 3. Stead, our leading scorer shipped out before being tried up front with Murphy. How many more mistakes will Keane make this season before ME starts again? For Healey read Lisbie, a one season wonder who flattered to deceive who now nobody wants, which other mighty clubs were we fighting for their signatures?

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dirtydingusmagee added 20:41 - Mar 2 Nigel Worthington says ! RIGHT ......bluechick ya,s ginnin to sound more like me ,than me.bless ya.
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MightyPaz added 20:46 - Mar 2 bluechick - is that photo of you...? Give Healy a chance, he clearly knows where the goal is, just needs the legs to get to it, it'll come.
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dirtydingusmagee added 21:03 - Mar 2 MightyPaz i dont want to spoil the dream mate BUT ...i think the hand has been airbrushed ! that aside, im in love too!
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AJblue added 21:19 - Mar 2 shows her t*ts but talks bo**ocks, interesting conundrum
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PimsNumber1 added 21:56 - Mar 2 ROFL and LMFAO injuredanimal.
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MightyPaz added 23:38 - Mar 2 I prefer that to showing her bo**ocks and talking t*ts though. Please don't ban me.
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bluepeter added 08:45 - Mar 3 what was swaying in the wind?
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nthstd added 09:00 - Mar 3 Nigel right and I'm sure that there will be prostive results for Our Wee COuntry and Ipswich if David get a darn good run in the team. Pity we never went after Kyle Lafferty or Sammy Clingan when they were going spare at the end of last season but hind sight is a great tool. Altogether now.................... We'e not Brazil we're Norn Ireland We'e not Brazil we're Norn Ireland But It's all the same to me. ULSTER

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Bluearmy added 10:01 - Mar 3 Thank god we never went after kyle lafferty i watched quite a bit of him for rangers and what i seen of him he was absoulety dreadful imo and i could be wrong but didn't they spend 3 million odd which is laugable really cos he is not worth 1 million imo.
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Surco72 added 10:08 - Mar 3 Healy last scored regularly in 2005-2006 , looking at his international scoring record Spain and England are the only top 20 world ranked side he has scored against again 2005-2006 (2 Games),with the majority against the likes of Malta,St Kitts,Tobago,Leichenstein ,San Marino, Luxembourg etc As for match fitness how many games do professionals who have trained all season need to get match fit ? Surely he should be sharper than players who have already played 30 or more games this season

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bennyblue added 11:24 - Mar 3 i'm willing to give him achance 4 a few more games cause we knoe the alternative are not up to it... but its probably just roys daft game plans that have anyone scoring this season.why dont we get get guus in 4 the rest of the season he might even get us up this year
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IpswichKev added 13:04 - Mar 3 Well if he says it then it has to be true then does it not?
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:26 - Mar 3 Injured re your comment about bluechick, talks b;llocks, that is YOUR opinion, YOU are not neccessarily right ,a bit of a cat'ie remark, seems like ya just dont like women,[or just flat hairy chested ones] mmmmmeeeeeeeooooooow
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AJblue added 20:37 - Mar 3 dirty,i refuse to cum in my pants like yourself over a pair of funbags. Please notice there is no face attached, probably Nigel from admin on a friday night and a pair of falsies!!!!!
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:39 - Mar 4 we all know that ,Its just that some of us have sense humour,you have obviously had yours surgically removed.Even if face was attached it means sod all could be a gorrilla,you seemed to be implying because its a ''woman'' she knew sod all about football,?there are plenty of female supporter's at football matches ,many of whom probably know more about the game than you .

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devontractorboy added 12:17 - Mar 4 These guys are highly paid Professional Footballers who train most days, why the hell ain't they match fit......lazy perhaps?
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AJblue added 12:46 - Mar 4 Dirty... me had my sense of humour removed!!!!!!! man get a life you old git
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AJblue added 12:57 - Mar 4 Actually let me qualify that. I in my humble opinion think that "she" posted something that i didn't agree with. Now I also know that is "her" right to do so, and long may "she" do so. I also know it is my right to disagree with her points of view, as i am sure "she" disagrees with mine. I tried to introduce abit of levity, which it seems other people seemed to have got. You yourself exclaim that you are in love, so my second post was a jibe at that. For jibe read good natured joke, i in no way imply any sexist thinking, in fact i welcome women into football, it is after all the peoples game, and last time i looked women were people! It is you who brings this point up, not me. I suggest you 1) get a sense of humour yourself 2) try not to judge everybody by your own standards and 3) do not assume to know what a few lines typed in jest seem to imply about anothers character. Oh and did i say..... go and get a sense of humour!!!!! (by the way all of this was written with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek) (....just in case you mis-judged this post too!!!!!!!)

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mugsykets added 16:27 - Mar 4 Now, now children. Stop bickering. Can't we discuss IPSWICH TOWN and FOOTBALL matters and cut out the ner ner ner, I'm more sophisticated/enlightened/pc than you nonsense. It IS getting a bit tiresome for the rest of us! Come on - be nice!
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