Former Linfield star feels David Healy criticism 'unfair' with Northern Ireland legend 'right person' for job

The Blues were dumped out at the sixth round stage by the Championship leaders last Friday, leaving next month’s BetMcLean Cup final against rivals Glentoran as the sole opportunity to claim silverware this season.

Having won the Premiership title by 22 points last term – Healy’s sixth Gibson Cup across a decade in charge at Windsor Park – their defence is almost certainly over with Larne firm favourites to seal glory.

Former Dungannon Swifts manager Murphy worked as Healy’s assistant between 2018 and 2020 with the pair winning two league crowns in that time, starting a run of four on the trot.

Linfield produced the perfect response to their cup exit, beating Dungannon Swifts 6-0 on Tuesday evening, and Murphy has no doubt that Healy remains the perfect man to lead the club in an ever-changing Irish League landscape.

"I think the criticism which has been directed at David is 100% unfair,” he said. “He has won six league titles in 10 years during a time where there has been huge investment around the league.

"You look at Larne, Glentoran, Coleraine, and you look at the growth of the league...for him to still be able to win leagues is a great achievement.

"People will say 'it's Linfield', but Linfield's challenge is bigger now than it has ever been off the pitch.

"The thing that always gets me is you look over that 10-year period and only Larne and Crusaders have won the league other than Linfield. David has won it six times.

"People look at the result against Limavady, but he has had those results before - Linfield lost to Queen's in the Irish Cup so it's nothing new.

"I always feel when you've been down that road before that you can fall back on that experience and David certainly has that.

"To be a Linfield manager for 10 years, you need to be successful and he certainly has been.

"I do feel the criticism is unwarranted...it's very easy to criticise Linfield and David, but if you take a step back and look at it in the context of the job that he has done, he deserves immense credit."

Healy has only finished below second in one of his 10 seasons to date, following up an underwhelming fourth in 2017/18 by winning four titles on the spin.

Linfield currently sit fourth ahead of Saturday’s trip to basement club Glenavon, but ex-Blues ace Murphy has full faith Healy will once again find a winning formula.

"I understand at times the frustration of fans, it's part and parcel of the game, but losing one game in the Irish Cup to Limavady, I don't think it has warranted the criticism,” he added. “Limavady went into that match having lost one in 19 and I think it was unfair on Paul (Owens) and his team that the attention wasn't on their result.

"I think David has done a brilliant job at Linfield and he's the right person because he has that experience of winning, but also of when times haven't been so good.

"He has always been able to come out the far side and I'm sure he will do that again."