THE EXTENT OF the tributes being paid to Colin Healy this afternoon provides some insight into how highly regarded the former Republic of Ireland international was by his team-mates.
Healy has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37, ending his career by helping Cork City to win their third FAI Cup last November at the expense of Dundalk.
Colin Healy celebrates at the Aviva Stadium following Cork City's 2016 FAI Cup final triumph. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Several Cork City players — including Karl Sheppard, Garry Buckley, Greg Bolger and Sean Maguire — took to Twitter to express their admiration for the Cork-born midfielder, who won 13 senior international caps. As well as having two separate spells with Cork City, Healy played for the likes of Celtic, Sunderland, Coventry City and Ipswich Town.
Sheppard tipped Healy to become a successful manager, Buckley hailed him as the best player he has ever played alongside, while Bolger lamented the fact that he was only fortunate enough to play alongside him for one season.
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At this afternoon’s press conference at the club’s Bishopstown training ground, City manager John Caulfield and veteran defender Alan Bennett praised Healy for the impact he had in helping to raise standards for the Leesiders in recent years.
“He was a phenomenal person to have,” Caufield said. “He’s very quiet. He seldom speaks to the media. He’s just a very private man but absolutely phenomenal behind the scenes, in the dressing room and on the training pitch.
Best player I played with by a country mile . Hardest man on the pitch and nicest man off it . Congratulations on a great career healers 👌
“He’s played with Ireland, played at the highest level over [in the UK], he was certainly unlucky with some of his injuries but he came back home and he finished his career here. He was just a joy to have.
“We’ve had other fellas, like Benno [Alan Bennett], Nults [Mark McNulty], Dan Murray, but Colin was just unique. He was just a fantastic guy with all the younger players. If people weren’t doing their stuff he was in the dressing room telling them. Everyone knew that when he said something, that was it.”
Caulfield, who took over as City boss for the 2014 season, added: “His standards were always the highest. He just wanted everything done to the best, which was brilliant because that’s what we wanted. He was part of that. He was an incredible player for us and he was part of that instant changeover from mediocrity when we took over the club. That’s the sort of influence he had.”
Bennett said: “As a person he was phenomenal for this club. The stuff he did in the background — off the pitch — players in the future will benefit from that. When the club was being reformed he stood up for players’ rights. That is a testament to the man because he knew it wasn’t for him. He knew it wasn’t for his future. It was for future Cork City players.
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“That kind of selfless act is the biggest compliment I could give the guy. That really just sums him up in my mind. From all of us here, all the players, we just want to thank Colin Healy for what he’s done for us.”
'Best player I played with by a country mile... Hardest man on the pitch and nicest man off it'
THE EXTENT OF the tributes being paid to Colin Healy this afternoon provides some insight into how highly regarded the former Republic of Ireland international was by his team-mates.
Healy has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37, ending his career by helping Cork City to win their third FAI Cup last November at the expense of Dundalk.
Several Cork City players — including Karl Sheppard, Garry Buckley, Greg Bolger and Sean Maguire — took to Twitter to express their admiration for the Cork-born midfielder, who won 13 senior international caps. As well as having two separate spells with Cork City, Healy played for the likes of Celtic, Sunderland, Coventry City and Ipswich Town.
Sheppard tipped Healy to become a successful manager, Buckley hailed him as the best player he has ever played alongside, while Bolger lamented the fact that he was only fortunate enough to play alongside him for one season.
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
At this afternoon’s press conference at the club’s Bishopstown training ground, City manager John Caulfield and veteran defender Alan Bennett praised Healy for the impact he had in helping to raise standards for the Leesiders in recent years.
“He was a phenomenal person to have,” Caufield said. “He’s very quiet. He seldom speaks to the media. He’s just a very private man but absolutely phenomenal behind the scenes, in the dressing room and on the training pitch.
“He’s played with Ireland, played at the highest level over [in the UK], he was certainly unlucky with some of his injuries but he came back home and he finished his career here. He was just a joy to have.
“We’ve had other fellas, like Benno [Alan Bennett], Nults [Mark McNulty], Dan Murray, but Colin was just unique. He was just a fantastic guy with all the younger players. If people weren’t doing their stuff he was in the dressing room telling them. Everyone knew that when he said something, that was it.”
Caulfield, who took over as City boss for the 2014 season, added: “His standards were always the highest. He just wanted everything done to the best, which was brilliant because that’s what we wanted. He was part of that. He was an incredible player for us and he was part of that instant changeover from mediocrity when we took over the club. That’s the sort of influence he had.”
Bennett said: “As a person he was phenomenal for this club. The stuff he did in the background — off the pitch — players in the future will benefit from that. When the club was being reformed he stood up for players’ rights. That is a testament to the man because he knew it wasn’t for him. He knew it wasn’t for his future. It was for future Cork City players.
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
“That kind of selfless act is the biggest compliment I could give the guy. That really just sums him up in my mind. From all of us here, all the players, we just want to thank Colin Healy for what he’s done for us.”
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