'He's an exceptional talent' - David Healy predicts bright future for Linfield teenager after making debut in Co Antrim Shield success
Linfield manager David Healy has hailed “exceptional talent” Kalum Thompson after the 16-year-old made his Blues debut in their 3-2 Co Antrim Shield victory over Ballyclare Comrades and backed him to make a future impact at Windsor Park.
Having fallen behind to an early Brian Healy strike, Linfield levelled through Sam Roscoe before substitute Joel Cooper put them ahead, but Darius Roohi got the Championship outfit back into the match by scoring in the 67th minute.
Blues boss Healy responded by sending on last season’s Player of the Year Kyle McClean and teenager Thompson – a Northern Ireland youth international who has impressed for the club’s U18 and U20 teams.
Chris McKee ultimately found the winner for Linfield in the 95th minute, heading home to help the South Belfast outfit progress in a competition they’ll be aiming to win for the first time since 2017.
Thompson provided a creative spark after being introduced off the bench and Healy predicts the young attacker has a bright future ahead of him.
"KT is an exceptional talent,” he told the club’s media channel. “He has been in and around...only for the age barrier last year where he couldn't step up to the U20s he would have been a bit closer.
"He has played a few times for the U20s, played consistently for the U18s last year and he's a youth international. He's growing into his body, but talent wise you can see little bits tonight...he probably should have went down later in the game with a leg hanging out but his inexperience and naivety didn't find that and with the quality he has he probably thought he could still go around him and make something happen.
"He’s a wonderful talent and he was up here in pre-season with us when we played Ballyclare. I congratulated him on his debut and I imagine going forward there will be plenty more game time with Linfield."
With Northern Ireland U21 call-ups for Charlie Allen and Ethan McGee, Linfield’s weekend Premiership fixture against Crusaders has been postponed and they’ll now next be in league action in a crunch showdown with fellow title contenders Larne on September 14.
It has been a competitive fixture in recent seasons – five of the last 10 league meetings have ended in draws while Larne have won three times and Linfield twice – and Healy is aware of the early significance despite his side holding a 12-point advantage over the Inver Reds due to their European progression.
"We're looking forward to it,” he added. “The recent success of Larne has been well-documented with winning league titles and progressing through to the group stages so we know it's going to be a huge game early in the season, but if we maximise what we have we'll certainly not fall short in preparation for the game.
"We've already had a look at Larne previously so we know the expectation level at home and we'll need to go out and give 100%, do the basics well and when given the opportunities we've created over the last few games make sure that we're clinical and decisive in taking them."