Unite the Union Champions Cup: Windsor Park, tonight, 7.45pm: Linfield v Dundalk
LINFIELD manager David Healy admits tonight’s Unite the Union Champions Cup first leg clash with Dundalk at Windsor Park is a distraction his boys could have done without.
Even though Irish Football Association recently poured cold water on a proposed All-Ireland League, suggested by Irish businessman Kieran Lucid, Unite have signed up to a three-year deal to sponsor the cross-border tournament that will see the Danske Bank Premiership champions go had to head with the League of Ireland title holders in a two-legged shootout – the return match is scheduled for Monday night.
The eventual winners will pocket a hefty 50,000 Euro, with the runner-up picking up half of the package.
Importantly, there is a further 25,000 Euro ring-fenced for community projects in the competing teams’ local areas.
Healy admits he would rather be preparing for a tough League outing against Dungannon Swifts, rather than taking on Vinny Perth’s lads, whose season was concluded on Sunday when they lost out in a penalty shootout to Shamrock Rovers in the final of the FAI Cup at the Aviva Stadium.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful, but the match is coming at a time when we are looking to reel in the teams at the top of the table,” admitted Healy.
“For me, Dungannon would be my first choice of opponent.
“But these games are thrown upon us. A double header can be difficult to be honest. Personally, I think a one-off game would have been better.
“Dundalk were in the Cup final on Sunday. It’s probably the last thing they wanted at the end of a long, hard successful season, but it is what it is.
“Sponsors and the organisers are putting in decent money, so the positive thing about it is the money we receive is going back into the local communities.”
It’s no secret that Healy plans to re-shape his team for the game.
He didn’t use any of his substitutes in Saturday’s win over Carrick Rangers, which was an indication that it could well be an entirely different starting eleven against the Lilywhites.
“There will be quite a number of changes to the team – and the squad, that’s for sure,” added the former Northern Ireland international.
“I can’t imagine that, come the end of April, I’m going to be sat as Linfield manager recognised for winning the Unite the Union Champions Cup and nothing else.
“Take out of that what you want. Yes, there will be changes. The amount of games that some of the players have played so far has been testing.
“If we continue to play eight, nine or 10 games in 30-odd days, then there is going to be a day of reckoning.
“The Carrick match (on Saturday) was our 10th game in just over one month, so somewhere along the line it’s going to have an adverse effect.
“At this time, we need to make sure we keep players fresh, so others will be given an opportunity against Dundalk.
“We were missing Jordan Stewart, Daniel Kearns, Ryan McGivern, Chris Casement, Josh Robinson, Shayne Lavery at the weekend, so it was a fair chunk, especially out of the spine of the team.
“So, we’ll see who is available for the Dundalk game and then I will select a team and a squad that can get a positive performance and result.
“We’ll look at the return game on Monday at Oriel Park after that.”
