David Healy admits ‘white lies’ part of mind games but boss delivers honest verdict on leaders Linfield
Linfield boss David Healy was happy to admit to the odd “white lie” as part of manager mind games but found an honest assessment of his league leaders easy to deliver after defeat of second-place Dungannon Swifts.
Sitting 11 points clear of the Swifts thanks to Joel Cooper’s goal after the break, Healy’s Blues stand in a formidable position overall and the Linfield boss enjoyed the midweek opportunity to gain a psychological advantage over the chasing pack.
"It's always important (to get the win) when you either play first on a Friday before other teams play on a Saturday, or you play Tuesday when opposition teams aren't playing...because people watch,” he said. "I know us as managers and coaches tell white lies that we don't check, I know when if we don't play on a Saturday and play on a Friday I'm always checking to see how the opposition teams are doing.
"So pleasing we got the outcome tonight and we move forward now to Saturday against Glenavon."
And Healy had nothing but praise for a Swifts side second “on merit”.
“I thought it was a decent game,” he said. "They try and play, we eventually started playing the way we wanted to...but there was never going to be much in the game.
"Dungannon are a very, very good side.
"It's easy to look at the table and you hear other teams are not doing this, Linfield's not doing that...Dungannon are there on merit.
"You see their performance tonight, for large parts of the game they put us under enormous pressure.
"Maybe once or twice we maybe could've capitalised.
"'Walshy' (David Walsh) didn't have that much to do, 'Knowlesy' (Dungannon's James Knowles) hit the post and you had a few bits and pieces.
"But, against a decent and in-form Dungannon side, we're pleased with the three points and obviously pleased with the clean sheet.
"Joel scored a big goal for us, albeit probably wasn't his cleanest strike...you really are relieved to see the ball go in because it gives you something in the game, a leg-up.
"We use that word quite a lot when we play - 'maximise' (the opportunity) – and the players did that.
"You know you've got different types of games, different types of moments and players on the bench chomping at the bit.”