Colin Healy leaving Sunderland

From the Sunderland site
"Colin Healy has chosen to leave Sunderland with his contract due to expire next week.

The midfielder, who has not played for more than two years because of injury problems, is back in his native Ireland as he considers his future.

It ends an ill-fated two-and-a-half-year stay at the Stadium of Light for the Irishman, but his ties with the club have not been completely severed.

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy has offered Healy the chance to return to Wearside as he continues along the road to fitness.

Healy was given a new deal last summer after his initial contract expired, with the club keen to help the former Celtic man after all his injury problems.

He was offered a year's contract, giving him time to get fully fit, but he requested to take the money over a shorter period of six months, with the knowledge that the contract would not be renewed unless he was up to speed.

After a break from the club last summer, Healy chose to activate the deal in July, over six months - meaning it expired in mid-January.

Healy is still short of fitness and has not played in a game situation, despite returning to the training pitch over Christmas. He is now considering his future.

McCarthy has offered the player the opportunity to return to the Stadium of Light, where he could work with the physios and train with a view to playing reserve games; but there would be no financial reward - at least not in the short term.

If Healy opts to take up the offer - and proves that he is fit enough to return to first-team football in the months ahead - there is a possibility of further talks.

Healy has been plagued by injury during his time at the Stadium of Light.

He broke his leg in December 2003, did it again when attempting a comeback nine months later and then needed a knee operation earlier this season.

McCarthy confirmed: "Colin's contract is up this week and he's gone home. He took a contract over and above what he had when his contract ran out in the summer.

"He took it for six months, on reduced terms, and that's up now.

"He can come back here, train, be a part of it and get himself fit. I would welcome him back.

"There would be no financial reward for that. It's down to him to come back and get himself fit. It's whether he wants to do it here, or do it somewhere else.

"I'm hoping he comes back here and trains with us but I'm not certain."

Healy's contract expires on January 16."

Sad to see, hopefully he can get himself back into some shape. Short term deal with Cork City?

very unlikely he'll ever play pro football again by the looks of it, its a terrible story

eL football might suit him better ? his body just is'nt up to Premiership level. Poor bloke, awful watse of talent.

That's a damn shame that. I wouldn't mind a fit Healy playing in our midfield at the moment. He's over his injury then and just short of fitness? He's going to have to prove himself all over again then.

A year in the EL might just be what he needs to get up to speed and to see if he can play a full season of football. It is, however an awful shame.

lads, to be honest, i think its the end of the road for healy, and the worst bit of it all ,is that by the sounds of it he knows as much himself. after the leg injuries he has suffered it could be the case that it wont hold out to trainin every day and the rigours of professional football at club level, let alone international level. people sometimes dont seem to realise that after being away from something for so long its so hard to try and get back to the level that you once felt you were at, healy hadnt even reached a level where he was a competant premiership footballer in england, let alone international midfielder, i feel so sorry for him, i would love him to prove me wrong, but i've heard so many stories of lads at earlier stages of their careers, 16-18 who get a couple of broken legs in quick succession and just cannot for the life of them recover enough, have lost too much pace or cannot tackle of shoot as hard as they once could, i would say that is it, the end of him as a potential top footballer

A season or two in the EL would do him no harm.Will he play for an EL team?
Thats the question.

everyone seems 2 be saying he should have a season or 2 in the EL, i dont think that is the point, a season ANYWHERE would be great for him, i think the point is, is he able for it. trust me, ifs hes fit enough for a year in the EL there will be enough clubs in the championship willing to offer him 5times as much money wise so its a non starter!

Irish Times this morning says that Healy has offers from a Premiership and some Championship clubs, if he can prove his fitness. It also says Mick had a bid for Harte turned down by Levante.

Echoes of what happened to Jim Beglin.
Healy broke his leg in two places, broke the same leg from just standing on it in training, followed another breakdown in training after sustaining cartilage damage to his knee. and another operation. And he still feels he can still play at the highest level! I'm going to switch over to Barry's tea.

Football 365 are reporting rumours that Crystal Palace are interested in signing Colin Healy.

poor healy. he was a terrific prospect-strong as an ox-would have been the new roy keane. very sad.