David Healy maintains hat-trick hero Joel Cooper 'is a Linfield player' and insists 'we know where we are both at' after ruthless display
David Healy has reaffirmed that talisman Joel Cooper remains very much a Linfield player and insists “we know where we are both at” after he netted a rapid hat-trick to help the Blues open up a 15-point Premiership advantage by beating Portadown 3-1 on Saturday.
Cooper has been in sensational form this season, bringing his league goal tally to 15 in 23 appearances after scoring three times in 26 first half minutes at Shamrock Park.
The 28-year-old is supposedly set for a summer move to Irish League rivals Coleraine with reports emerging last month that the former Oxford United playmaker has agreed a pre-contract with the Bannsiders.
However, Cooper hasn’t let that speculation impact his performances for the Blues, scoring five goals in his last four league outings since the news emerged and if he can maintain similar form, Healy’s side will be considered heavy favourites to regain the Gibson Cup.
He showed his class against Portadown with three ruthless finishes and Healy says Cooper’s full focus is on winning games for Linfield.
"He was clinical,” he said. “Fitzy (Matthew Fitzpatrick) playing beside him had a hand in the goals and their connectivity was very good.
"Aaron McCarey being the goalkeeper that he is – I think he has been one of the better goalkeepers in the league this year – Joel showed great composure and tucked his goals away very well.
"Joel Cooper is a Linfield player. We’ve had many discussions...I’ve known Joel for seven or eight years, we talk constantly, we know where we are both at and Joel’s responsibility, like mine, is on a matchday to try and win a game of football for Linfield Football Club.
"Joel did that today thankfully and we move now to Cliftonville next week. Joel’s not going to change.”
While most teams have struggled for consistency this term, Linfield have been the exception, now putting together a seven-game unbeaten league run and they’d went 10 hours without conceding a goal across competitions before Tabu Rabby Minzamba netted what was ultimately a consolation for Portadown.
Healy’s men have also collected the most home points (24), have excelled on the road by winning nine of 13 matches away from Windsor Park and hold the record for most clean sheets (12) this season.
Combine that with the fact Linfield have scored the top-flight’s most goals (46) and only trail Larne (13), who have played six games fewer, in the goals conceded category, things are looking very positive for the South Belfast side.
"A lot of people have talked about Linfield and have had their own opinions on the performances,” added Healy. “We concentrate on what we do.
"Have we been to a consistent level? I think so. We haven’t lost back-to-back league games this season so there’s a level of consistency there.
"We’re always looking to be better and challenge the players to have small percentage improvements game by game and then let’s see where that takes us. I look for better even if I feel our performance has been absolutely incredible. I always want more.”