Towering Linfield defender Ben Hall says David Healy deserves more respect for leading the Big Two giants to a fourth straight league title.
Hall bagged a crucial opener as the Belfast club clinched its 56th Gibson Cup with a 2-0 win over Coleraine on Saturday evening.
Afterwards Healy appeared to place a question mark over his Windsor Park future while suggesting a section of Linfield fans are “still unsatisfied" with his seven year tenure.
Read more: Linfield crowned champions for 56th time after final day victory
But Hall believes the 42-year-old has done a phenomenal job on the back of losing key players last summer and helping the club transition to a full-time model this season.
“I don’t think he gets enough credit for the job he has done,” said Hall. “With the amount of players he lost from last season and the transition into full-time football.
“It has been a massive turnaround players wise and to get them all to click and go and win another league title on the back of it and the fourth on the road is unbelievable.
“It has been a great changing room to come into and a great bunch of lads to do it with, so on a personal level I’m just delighted to help us win the league.
“It’s the biggest club in the country and as a player you want to win things and I’m just delighted to win my first ever title at Linfield.”
Saturday’s win ensured Linfield finished a point above Paddy McLaughlin’s Cliftonville who ended their campaign with a 2-1 win over Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval.
Hall, who joined Linfield in the January transfer window, said: “Cliftonville took us to the last day and credit has to go to them for taking it right down to the wire.
“We knew what was at stake and it would have been heartbreaking to miss out and win nothing, but thankfully we were able to get it over the line.”
With Cliftonville leading Glentoran in East Belfast, nerves were starting to jangle at Windsor before Hall rose to head home his first goal for the club in the 43rd minute.
And Healy’s men were in cruise control when Chris McKee, another January arrival on loan from Rangers, steered home a second in first half stoppage time.
Hall, who joined the Blues from Falkirk, said: “My goal probably settled us a bit and to get a second before half-time, it was probably game over from there and we were able to see it out.
“It was only natural at 2-0 up that we would kill the game at every opportunity and be professional in taking the sting out of the game.
“It was just unbelievable to score on such an occasion and help us win the title and for the club to add another league to the collection.”
Since arriving at Linfield in October 2015, Healy has won a total of nine trophies - five league titles, two Irish Cups, a League Cup and a County Antrim Shield.
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