Kazakhstan 1-0 Northern Ireland: IFA 'structural failings' have hindered NI - David Healy
- Published
Northern Ireland fell to their fifth defeat in a row in Kazakhstan
Northern Ireland's record goalscorer David Healy says there have been "structural failings" in the Irish FA which have hit the country's progress.
Northern Ireland lost 1-0 in Kazakhstan in what was their fifth straight defeat in Euro 2024 qualifying.
Healy says the IFA's failure to invest since Euro 2016 has limited what returning boss Michael O'Neill can do.
"People need to get their backsides into gear and stop patting each other on the back," Healy said on ViaPlay.
Since qualifying for Euro 2016, Northern Ireland have lost to Switzerland in a 2018 World Cup play-off in what was O'Neill's last full campaign in charge.
Ian Baraclough took charge of a Euro 2020 play-off, which NI lost to Slovakia, but an underwhelming 2022 World Cup bid and sub-par Nations League performances saw him sacked and replaced by the returning O'Neill.
However, after an opening win over San Marino, Northern Ireland have lost their last five fixtures to end their hopes of reaching Euro 2024.
"The story of the group is we are just not good enough at the minute," added Healy, who has scored a record 36 goals for the men's team.
"You can brush it up, you can talk about the good players we've had and the history and everything else, but we just don't have the level of players to go and compete.
"Kazakhstan are 104th in the world, and we're not scoring against them in two games when we're losing both games. You have to try and break it down to find the reason why.
"Michael has come back into the hot seat now, and rightly so as he was the correct man for it, but the structural failings over the past number of years by the people at the IFA, having not put the money in place, not built the training ground they promised the players and supporters, having not invested in the youth system and the players.
"They say they will and say they have."
Healy added that former manager Baraclough, who lasted just over two years in the job, was "a sitting duck" and O'Neill "has the same, basically, shortcomings at the minute".
"Ian Baraclough was on a hiding to nothing and was criticised, again wrongly many a times," Healy added.
"Michael has still got plenty of credit in the bank in terms of what he achieved so far, but we don't want to be sitting in two or three years' time thinking that we didn't give Michael the best opportunity.
"I see youth football in the country and I see enough people out and about in the country. I see jobs for people in the IFA, but what do they actually contribute?
"Supporters in Northern Ireland want to see a team they can be proud of on the pitch. We're not seeing that at the minute.
"The players are trying, no doubt about it, but we are just lacking the quality. You have to break it down to say how and why, where do we get the quality from?
"If we had our own training ground, which we should have and were promised, then maybe it helps."
'Michael will get to the bottom of this'
Michael O'Neill is in his second stint as Northern Ireland manager
On top of the structure, Healy criticised the IFA for the lack of youth development and the fact Northern Ireland rely on so many players who qualify through the eligibility rule.
Of the team that started in Astana, seven of those qualify for Northern Ireland through eligibility with only Conor McMenamin, Trai Hume, Paddy McNair and Jonny Evans born in Northern Ireland.
Healy adds he sees a similar problem at youth level and the system needs to change if more Northern Ireland-born players are to break through into the senior team.
"We have had young players who have gone to big clubs in the Premier League over the past two or three years," Linfield manager Healy said.
"I went to watch the Under-21s against Luxembourg, which we lost and we had three of our so-called star pupils from the JD Academy, all 18 or 19 - they are all on the bench.
"Our three best young players at the minute - Isaac Price, Shea Charles and Daniel Ballard - they haven't come through our system.
"They are playing through the eligibility rule, which again should be a worry.
"I've no doubt, speaking to Michael and Michael knows my thoughts on this, Michael will get to the bottom of this, I've no doubt.
"People need to get their heads together, sit down and sort out a plan going forward or else we are going to have the same issues."
While the IFA declined to officially comment on Healy's remarks, the association pointed to the appointment of former Northern Ireland defender Aaron Hughes to the role of technical director, which looks at structures throughout the whole association.
A full-time residential academy was established in 2019 by the IFA and it says it has invested in elite sports science support and elite physiotherapy for youth players.
It added that several players have progressed from the JD Elite Player Development Programme, with 16 of those graduates being part of the recent under-21 squad.