Healy rejecting Raith raises prospect of Clancy exiting Cork City 

WELL-REGARDED: Cork City manager Tim Clancy before the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division match against Cobh Ramblers. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Linfield manager David Healy has rejected the Raith Rovers vacancy, raising the prospect of Cork City Tim Clancy manager entering the equation.

While Clancy was part of the Scottish Championship club’s shortlist, productive talks with Healy over the weekend seemed to be heading to one conclusion.

That prospect was torpedoed on Monday when Linfield confirmed a contract extension for their boss.

Over his nine-year tenure at Windsor, the ex-Manchester United and Leeds United striker Healy has accumulated five league titles, two Irish Cups and three League Cups. They are top of the Irish Premiership after five matches.

Linfield chairman Roy McGivern said: “We are delighted that David has committed to the club for a further year and would commend him for the loyalty he has shown to the club. We are now totally focused on bringing further success to the club and believe that retaining David’s services as manager is key to achieving that.

“I trust that this will put an end to the recent speculation about David’s future at the club and we now look ahead to our next fixture against Portadown on Friday night with David hopefully leading us to three points to maintain our excellent start to the season.

"The target this season is to bring the Gibson Cup back to Windsor Park and I know that our loyal supporters will fully get behind the manager and the team to help us achieve that aim.” 

Cork City chief Clancy is well-regarded in Scotland having spent a spell of his playing career there with Hibs, Motherwell, Kilmarnock and St Johnstone.

He’s on the verge of executing the mission he was handed at Cork City, his team 16 points clear at the summit of the First Division with eight games remaining. Depending on this weekend’s results, promotion could be secured at UCD on Friday week.