Shayne Lavery: Award-winning Linfield striker determined to win place in NI team and make mark on professional game
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Shayne Lavery won Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year at the NI Football Awards
Triple-award-winning Linfield striker Shayne Lavery says he is determined to break into the Northern Ireland team.
The 22-year-old has yet to start a competitive international match but believes his imminent move back to England or Scotland will help his case.
Lavery won Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Golden Boot at the NI Football Awards after his 30 goals helped Linfield to a league and cup double.
"I want to get in the team," he said.
"It is a very good squad with very good players and it will be tough, but you get called up for a reason and that's to hopefully play games.
"Ian Baraclough wants every one of his players to be playing full-time football at the highest possible club they can so hopefully that will get me into more squads."
Lavery joins fellow Northern Ireland internationals Stuart Dallas and Gavin Whyte in having won both the Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards in the same season.
His final act in a Linfield top will be to join his team-mates in celebrating their Irish Premiership title success by lifting the Gibson Cup after Saturday's final match away to Cliftonville.
He wants to be part of the celebrations before making his much-heralded move back to full-time football, having left Everton following an unsuccessful loan spell at Falkrik to join Linfield in May 2019.
Shayne Lavery has won seven Northern Ireland caps
He became the club's talisman on their way to the double and, while revealing he will be speaking to a club this week, he believes he is more equipped to make his mark across the water now than when he was younger.
"I just want to get through this week, enjoy the celebrations and we will see what happens after that," he continued.
"I'm really looking forward to getting back into the full-time game and seeing where that takes me. I am under no illusions that it will be tough but I feel like I have had that setback of not making it at one point and I know what it takes now to push on.
"I don't want to be disrespectful to the Irish League because it is amazing, the standard has been really improving over the last two or three years. I know what I need to be doing on and off the pitch now and hopefully the performances will come."
Lavery 'can't thank Linfield enough'
Lavery has not had too far to look for advice on finding the net during his time at Windsor Park, with Northern Ireland's record goalscorer David Healy as his manager.
Having first met the former Manchester United and Rangers player while he was coaching in the international youth set up, Lavery was full of praise for the guidance Healy has provided.
"He has been amazing, right back from the day when I first met him going away with Northern Ireland Under 17s," Lavery commented.
"I'm very grateful that he wanted me to come to this club and for what we have achieved. If he is on you at half-time or full-time you know you have had a bad game, it is nothing against you or anything but all to improve you going forward.
"We would practice hold-up play and shooting drills, and it is amazing to have someone who had that career pushing you on."
Lavery and Joel Cooper scored in the Irish Cup final for Linfield
Lavery was also keen to thank Linfield for his time there and spoke of how keen he is to get his winner's medal, while also reflecting on his award success.
"Obviously I want to be called up to the international squad as much as I can but you never know the next time you will get to lift a trophy," he added.
"Especially after lifting the Irish Cup, it was a feeling I've never felt before, so I am really looking forward to lifting the league as well. Because of how last year ended, this one will feel a lot sweeter.
"I can't thank the people at Linfield enough for my time here. The people are amazing, from the top right through the club, and I will never forget the people.
"I was a bit shocked to win the awards to be honest. I've had a look at a few of the names on it and it is amazing that my name will go alongside those greats, it's a great honour. "