Linfield's David Healy and Chris Shields slam ‘lazy' & ‘strange' Conference League format that led to Shelbourne rematch
DAVID HEALY and Chris Shields have queried a format where Shelbourne and Linfield can face each other for a second time in quick succession
Just 36 days after the second leg of their Champions League qualifier, the sides square off again on Thursday in the first leg of their Conference League play-off.
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Linfield duo David Healy and Chris Shields questioned the structure of the Conference League qualifiers
Credit: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
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Linfield and Shelbourne face off 36 days after meeting in the Champions League
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
And neither the Blues gaffer nor skipper are convinced it makes sense.
Healy said: 'The strange thing, and it's for another day and people above my pay grade, is that somehow you can meet in the first round of the Champions League and then in the play-off.
'Potentially you would have preferred a different draw. But Shelbourne's maybe quite happy with the draw that they got with us.'
And ex-Dundalk star Shields added: 'You look at the format of the Champions League now, they don't even play each other twice in the elite phase.
'It is funny you can meet each other again in the same pathway in the space of an eight-week period. It seems a bit lazy but it is out of our control.'
Shields missed the previous game at Tolka Park but turned in an impressive display in the return leg but Shels ultimately prevailed.
He said: 'I'm not the best watcher of football. I was glad to be back in and getting the penalty was helpful.
'There was ultimately disappointment but I felt we were far more ourselves in Windsor.'
Healy - who expects Wesley Speel, Sam Bone and Milan Mbeng to be the three changes for Shels from when they last met - hopes his side is better equipped to take them on now.
He said: 'We will find out tomorrow and we'll find out next week. Personally I think we've improved.
League of Ireland mascots compete in charity race in Naas
'When we came down here the initial time we hadn't played a competitive game. We've now played seven.
'I think over the two legs, Shelbourne probably deserved to go through.
'I believe people in and around the League of Ireland, Shelbourne especially, were probably quite pleased with the draw.
'So it's up to us to go and perform and show our supporters, Shelbourne supporters, that we've improved from when we were first down the first time.'
For Shields, the prospect of putting one over former Dundalk team-mates Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett and Dano Kelly is an added incentive.
He joked: 'I didn't like them then, I don't like them now. so it's no problem.'
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