Colin Healy: 'We need something like an under-23 league'

Colin Healy believes more work needs to be done in Ireland to bridge the gap between underage academies and senior teams. 

The Cork City boss is currently guiding a number of young players out of the club’s Under-19s and into the senior team, which is battling for promotion to the Premier Division. 

Last week, seven academy graduates started away to Galway United, and beat the high flying Tribesmen 3-2 at Eamonn Deacy Park. 

Despite the seamless transition his players are making, the former Irish international wants more done to link the League of Ireland with the underage national leagues. 

“We need something like an Under-23 league where players who aren’t in the first team can drop down to when they aren’t playing,” he proposed. 

“The big thing is that if a 17 or 18 year old is playing with an Under-23s team, they will be playing with senior professionals. Sometimes you learn more on the pitch than you would off a coach. 

“When you’re out there, it’s all about decision making. The senior lads would guide the young players through the game. 

“For me, an Under-23 league would be fantastic for senior and underage players. The professionals playing with younger players will give them good habits. 

His current squad is a mismatch of players coming out of the club’s academy and seasoned professionals, with years of experience in the League of Ireland. 

Injuries have meant that a number of young stars have been forced to step up in recent weeks, and they have been flying for the Rebel Army.

The youth revolution kickstarted their FAI Cup campaign last month and reignited their hopes of getting into the play-offs. 

“It was tough at the start, a lot of people questioned them, saying are they good enough,” Healy reflected on his team’s journey. 

“It took time for them to adapt to the league, and now they are in flying. Against Galway, you could see the fight and hunger they had. You need to have that to be a football player and they are showing that at the moment. 

“It’s great to see them maturing as people and players. It’s good to see the players now getting the recognition that they deserve.”

To help his young City stars make the step up to the first team, Healy has been an open book on his own experiences in football.

His advice, which comes from a career spanning the Scottish Premiership and English Championship, is simple: “I tell the players: Be the best professionals you can be when they come into training. I tell them be as fit as they can be and don’t have any excuses.

“It’s an honour for me to be sitting here as the Cork City manager and I loved my time playing with the club – it’s the biggest club in the country. I loved my time here as a player, and I love it as a coach. 

“The lads are so lucky to be playing for Cork City. When the stadiums are fully open again and the fans are back in their thousands, the players will see the size of the club and the support they have.

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— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) August 12, 2021