By Terry Phillips
Neil Warnock will hold talks with Cardiff City striker Rhys Healey about his future this Sunday.
The Bluebirds manager will ring Healey to discuss whether he should stay on loan at Newport County, return to Cardiff, or move on to Carlisle, Plymouth or a League One club.
It is highly unlikely Healey will be recalled by Cardiff because Warnock does not believe the 22-year-old is ready for a Championship challenge and needs to be playing regular first team football.
Warnock has made it clear Healey will not be sold in January, but it seems likely he will move from Newport to promotion-chasing Plymouth Argyle or Carlisle United.
Warnock says: “Plymouth have spoken to me as have a number of clubs, but they have not spoken to Rhys.
“His agent has spoken to clubs, which is normal for a young player out on loan.
“I told Newport many weeks ago we have to do what’s right for the lad. We have to weigh up the pros and cons of whether we want the lad playing at a team at that end of the table or another challenge, either in another division – because a number of League One clubs have asked – or whether we want him to go to the other end of the League Two table, like Carlisle – their manager Keith Curle has asked me – or Plymouth.
“I’ve no idea if Rhys will move (in January). If I thought it was beneficial to let him stay I would have let him stay.
“But the current situation is not helping. I believe you should talk manager to manager about things, not through the papers.
“I have no intention of selling him. We’ve got three other young lads from the Under-23s Newport want a look at and by all means, I don’t mind helping them out, but that’s another matter.”
Warnock is angry with Newport manager Graham Westley about his treatment of Healey, who spoke to the media and was asked about Plymouth’s interest in signing him.
“I totally disagree with what’s happened and I’m very, very annoyed with Graham at the moment if I’m honest,” said Warnock.
“To ask a young lad to face the media and talk about Plymouth is totally out of order.
“I don’t think he should have been placed in front of the media with the first question asking him whether he was going to Plymouth Argyle, he should be talking about Newport and it was totally unfair.”
Healey is on loan at Newport until January 3 and it is thought Argyle contacted him over a potential loan move to Home Park a few days before the teams met in the FA Cup second round. They meet again in a replay at Rodney Parade on Wednesday, December 21 after a goalless draw and the winners play Liverpool at Anfield in the third round during January.
Healey, who celebrated his 22nd birthday this week and has scored six goals in 18 games, is due to play for Newport in their League Two home match against Morecambe on Saturday (3pm).
Midfield player Joss Labadie is set for his first Newport County start since September when Morecambe visit, having regained fitness after hamstring injuries, while striker Josh O’Hanlon, on loan from Swansea, could return.
Sean Rigg is ruled out by suspension.
Newport County (5-3-2), v Morecambe: County: Day, Bignot, Jones, Bennett, Butler, Barnum-Bobb, Tozer, Sheehan, Labadie, Myrie-Williams, Healey. Subs, from: Bittner (gk), Randall, Green, Meite, Jackson, Jebb, Owen-Evans, O’Hanlon.
