Suker salutes Healy scoring feat

By David Ornstein

David Healy has scored 13 goals in the qualifying campaign

Davor Suker has hailed David Healy as "a huge player" after the Northern Ireland striker broke his European qualifying goalscoring record.

The Fulham star's strike in the 2-1 win over Denmark last Saturday saw the 28-year-old surpass Suker, who hit 12 for Croatia in Euro 96 qualification.

Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington wants Healy to receive an award for the feat and Uefa is likely to honour him.

"I enjoyed him taking my record. He is a huge player," Suker told BBC sport.

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"I was happy to make my history by scoring 12 goals in 1996. This is sport - I enjoyed setting the record and now another player has it.

"Of course, in the future someone will beat Healy and he will be in third, fifth, 10th position and so on. That is football.

"Healy scores a lot of goals and has performed well. He has huge potential."

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Healy is currently on 13 goals, three ahead of Croatia's Eduardo da Silva, and both players have one game still to play.

If the Fulham forward remains top of the scoring charts, Uefa will present him with a trophy.

Raymond Kennedy, the Irish Football Association president, is reportedly due to write to European football's governing body to make representations on Healy's behalf.

"There should be a prize for the top scorer. You have the Golden Boot and things," said Worthington.

"Why should there not be something for a player who has set a magnificent record playing for a small country?"

It really is a great honour to beat his record. I have to pinch myself at times Healy on Suker

Healy is finding it difficult to take in the fact he has overtaken former Arsenal striker Suker.

"To get the record with a goal that won the game and kept us in with a shout of reaching the finals was the sort of thing you would hardly dare dream of, " he said.

"I remember watching Davor Suker a few years back and thinking what a great player he was.

"The feeling now is a bit like when I scored my ninth goal for Northern Ireland and drew level with George Best's tally.

"I could not help thinking, 'What am I doing, being mentioned in the same breath as him?'

"It is a bit like that with Suker. I can remember him scoring lots of goals in the World Cup as well as European Championship.

"It really is a great honour to beat his record. I have to pinch myself at times."