Linfield manager David Healy
Linfield manager David Healy has lambasted the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) over fixture rescheduling claiming that his club are effectively being punished for providing players for the country’s international teams.
Healy is fuming that Linfield’s trip to Premiership title rivals Larne has been brought forward from January 1 to December 30 and that the Blues will then travel on January 2 to face Crusaders in a rearranged game which was originally postponed in November due to an international call up for the league leaders.
The Blues boss said: “Being upset would be putting it lightly to be honest. NIFL need to take a hard look at themselves. We are being punished and this is at NIFL’s door. It is completely bang out of order.”
In a statement NIFL declared that ‘no single club has been disproportionately disadvantaged by the rescheduling decision’.
Sunday Life Sport understands that Linfield appealed the decision regarding the new date for the Crusaders match but the appeal was lodged too late and therefore could not be heard.
Earlier this year Northern Ireland’s record goalscorer launched a blistering attack on the Irish FA primarily on the lack of a national training centre and now NIFL have incurred his wrath.
At the start of the season there was a full programme of Sports Direct Premiership matches scheduled for Monday, January 1 but all six games have been switched to Saturday at 3pm, December 30 including the top of the table clash between champions Larne and Linfield at Inver Park.
Healy and Linfield were vehemently opposed to that and were angered even more when they learnt that their outstanding league game at Seaview would take place on Tuesday, December 2 at 7.45pm.
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