David Healy OK with the boos as he lets fly at his Linfield players

Linfield boss blasts his players following their defeat away at Portadown

David Healy pulled no punches after his Linfield side slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Portadown on Friday night.

The home side produced a superb performance to claim their first win in 18 games against the reigning champions thanks to second half goals from Baris Altintop and James Teelan.

Healy though was left to bemoan his own side’s performance insisting the Blues fans were right to boo him and the players afterwards.

“I went and clapped the supporters tonight and they booed me and absolutely rightly so,” he said.

“I nearly booed myself walking over to clap them as I felt embarrassed for myself and I felt embarrassed for the players for the level of football we turned in.

“Something I’ve driven at this football club is a mentality and an attitude. You may not always be at your best but you go and you empty the tank.

“You wear the shirt with pride and we didn’t do that tonight. I’m responsible for that, I pick the team, it’s my fault at the end of the day.

“I wish I could have crossed the white line tonight because I probably wouldn’t have done any worse than some of the players who played.

“Our performance levels were nowhere near the expected levels. That’s why we lost. Our attitude was wrong, which is even more disappointing, because I thought we had prepared going into the game. But obviously not.

“I’ll have a hard look at that. I’ve said to the players that I think we have 15 players out of contract this year and to be honest looking at tonight I’m not in a hurry to renegotiate anything with anybody at the minute until we find out where we are as a group.”