Healy just needs luck says Wise

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6506623.stm

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Northern Ireland star David Healy only needs a bit of luck to repeat his goalscoring exploits for Leeds United, according to club manager Dennis Wise.

Healy has now scored nine goals in six Euro 2008 qualifiers, including two hat-tricks, but often does not start in the Championship's bottom team.

Wise said the "fantastic" Northern Ireland crowd gives Healy confidence.

"If we had those 14,000 Irish fans in addition to our usual Leeds fans, we'd be top of the league," he said.

"He just hasn't had the luck with Leeds, he's been hitting shots like that for us and they've been hitting the bar.

He's an instinctive striker, he can pull a goal out of nothing Dennis Wise <a class="" href="/1/hi/northern_ireland/6505145.stm">Two-goal Healy Windsor hero </a> <a class="" href="/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6505715.stm">Hero Healy grabs headlines </a> "He's been playing very well for us, but unfortunately he hasn't been scoring the goals for us that he's been scoring at international level."

Wise told the BBC's Talkback that Healy's double strike in the 2-1 win over Sweden was part of an "amazing performance".

"Everyone loves him, just let him concentrate on doing the brilliant job he's been doing.

"He's an instinctive striker, he can pull a goal out of nothing."

Earlier this year, Wise was angered by comments by Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez, who expressed surprise that Healy had not been signed by a Premiership club.

The pair have since made up, and Wise said he spoke to Sanchez after the game about the atmosphere at Windsor Park.

"It was so good, it reminds us both of our Wimbledon days, with that sense of overachieving," he said.

Sanchez and Wise were team-mates in the Wimbledon side which won the 1988 FA Cup.