Wednesday 1 August 2007 05:17, UK
Chris Kamara sings the praises of Northern Ireland and Leeds United striker David Healy.
Coca Cola League
Live only on Sky Sports
Click here for details
It's been a good week for Championship strikers, with David Healy and David Nugent both hitting the headlines for their international performances.
I'm in the David Healy fan club. I've spoken to a lot of football people about him and they're firmly split into two camps.
There are those who think David just is not quick enough to play at the highest level, and those - like me - who think he's quick enough in the head to do the business anywhere.
His record for Northern Ireland is absolutely incredible, especially when you consider some of the opposition - Spain, Sweden, England - he's succeeded against.
You don't score 29 goals in 56 international appearances by accident and, for me, he's a natural goalscorer.
So what's gone wrong at Leeds, where he has just eight Championship goals this season? For starters, his old manager Kevin Blackwell never really played him in his favourite position - up front.
And Leeds have plenty of striking options, so if David went a couple of games without scoring the manager had the likes of Richard Cresswell and Robbie Blake to turn to.
David is the sort of player who needs to feel he will play every week. He has that feeling with Lawrie Sanchez in the Northern Ireland set-up, and look how he's repaying him.
At 27 years of age, I still don't think he's missed his chance to play in the top flight and he would represent the best value for money of any striker in the Championship.
If any Premiership club is looking for a player to guarantee, say, 12 goals a season and who would not command a huge fee, David Healy is that man.
He's been on the bench at Elland Road recently. Sometimes a manager does not realise just what he's got, but Dennis Wise was in Belfast to see David score twice against Sweden, so he should know now.
I was delighted, too, for Nugent, who was on target on his England debut against Andorra.
The problem for him now is that Preston may say: 'He's done it at international level, we want big money.'
His club already wanted £5 or £6 million for him, which makes it difficult for a Premiership club to take a chance.
He's not in the same position as, say, Andy Johnson, who did not represent a gamble for Everton even at £8m as he'd already scored goals in the Premiership for Crystal Palace.
I don't think Nugent would have a problem scoring at the higher level, but he may have to prove it at a middle-to-bottom tier club.
E-mail Chris Kamara right here
SHREWS ON A ROLL
Hi Chris, I'm a Shrewsbury fan and I just wondered what you thought of our brilliant form this year. Is this the year we make the play-offs? Joe, Shropshire
CHRIS SAYS: Shrewsbury's run has been fantastic, Joe. They're unbeaten in League Two in 2007 and Gary Peters has done a superb job. With the manager-of-the-month awards coming up, I've been keeping an eye on Gary and he'll definitely be among the nominees. They're in the play-off places with games in hand, Derek Asamoah and Leo Fortune-West are scoring and they're becoming a formidable side at just the right time. It could all end up at Wembley.
COLE CAN FIRE BLUES
Hi Chris, what do you make of Birmingham signing Andy Cole on loan? Can he steer us to promotion? Neil, Redditch
CHRIS SAYS: It's a brilliant signing, Neil, and there's loads of clubs in the Championship who would have loved to do that deal. Most probably thought he wasn't available, because he wanted to stay and fight for a place at Portsmouth in January, when there were Premiership clubs in for him. I think Steve Bruce has got just what his side needed - there are loads of workers at St Andrews but they were missing somebody just to put the ball in the back of the net. Andy Cole is that man.
TOUGH TIMES AT BRADFORD
Hi Chris, I'm a Bradford City fan, and would like to thank you for your services to the club. Remember Wembley? Great memories...What I would like to know is your view on what is happening at Valley Parade? Can we beat the drop? Thanks, Jacko, Bingley.
CHRIS SAYS: I really hope they can, Jacko - I still have a lot of affection for the club. When I was manager there, we went to Wembley in 1996 and won the play-off to take us into the Championship. Now, in the year the new Wembley reopens, it's sad that the club is in danger of losing its League One status. On a positive note, there are enough games left for them to get out of it and, Scunthorpe aside, it's not the most difficult of run-ins. I've got my fingers crossed.
