Healy targets Northern Irish record

Becoming Northern Ireland's leading international goalscorer paradoxically might appear both easy and difficult. Easy, because the target to overtake is only 13 goals, a record held by Colin Clarke, a journeyman striker with various English clubs. Difficult, because Northern Ireland has never been a side noted for its goalscoring ability, or even its creation of chances.

Halfway there
David Healy is certainly making the task of passing Clarke's tally seem easy. The Preston North End FC striker has scored seven goals in just 14 international games - in other words, his job is halfway done already.

Often lone striker
At the age of just 22, the former Manchester United FC player is the most important member of the Northern Ireland team. Although only a small man, Healy punches above his weight. Often employed in a lone striker role, ahead of a five-man midfield, he is prepared to suffer the buffetings of burly centre-halves and keep coming back for more, such is his desire to score goals.

Automatic first choice
It is little wonder that the little wonder has been an ever-present under Sammy McIlroy's management, an automatic first choice since his first game, given his ability to find the net. That senior start came in McIlroy's debut game in charge, a friendly away to Luxembourg in February 2000, and Healy announced himself with two goals in the 3-1 victory. A month later Healy scored again, the final goal in a 3-0 friendly win over Malta in Valletta.

Home hero
Healy was already the home hero before he had even appeared at Windsor Park, his performances earning him the Northern Ireland Football Writers' International Personality award in May 2000. However, those in the know, had already been aware of Healy's tremendous talent. In August 1999, the night before Northern Ireland's senior side hosted World Cup-holders France, the Under-21 teams met at the Oval, home of Glentoran. Bizarrely, Healy was only on the bench, but came on at the start  of the second half with the sides level at 1-1 to upstage Frederic Kanouté, France's goalscorer, and David Trezeguet, both of whom were substituted at the interval.

Class demonstrated
Healy scored twice, the first a beautiful curling shot from long range, to seal a tremendous 3-1 win. His graduation to the senior side seemed only a matter of time, and so it proved. Healy's home debut came in a disappointing 1-0 friendly defeat by Hungary but in the next challenge match against Yugoslavia he demonstrated his class to Northern Ireland supporters. Slipped
through on the left on the stroke of half-time, he cheekily clipped the ball through the goalkeeper's legs to give his side the lead, although they eventually lost 2-1.

Cracker past Schmeichel
In the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, he struck a cracker past no less a goalkeeper than Denmark's Peter Schmeichel. The goals dried up as Northern Ireland lost their way, but he still scored a penalty against Bulgaria, then added a poacher's effort in the win over Iceland before netting the only goal of the game from the spot in the win away to Malta.

Natural goalscorer
Healy is simply a natural goalscorer, a talent that was spotted by the United scouts at an early age. He did not make the grade at Old Trafford, with only one senior league start, but then again Teddy Sheringham, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Dwight Yorke, and Andy Cole were ahead of him in the queue, with Ruud van Nistelrooij on his way.

Top class
In the second half of the 2000/01 season, Healy's goals helped fire Preston to the first division play-off final, but Bolton Wanderers FC beat them at Cardiff. He may not be a FA Premiership player at present but he is top class and regular first team football should help him continue his quest to become his country's greatest-ever goalscorer.