Warren Feeney has a plan to wrestle the Northern Ireland number nine shirt from David Healy's back on a permanent basis.

First that involves quitting Cardiff City in six weeks time.

After partnering David Healy so many times, the east-Belfast man was chosen ahead of the country's record goalscorer for Saturday night's 1-0 friendly defeat to Serbia.

It was only the second time that Healy has missed a home international since his first Windsor Park appearance against Hungary in April 2000. Feeney took over Healy's mantle for the friendly against Portugal four years ago, scoring in the 1-1 draw, but he couldn't repeat that feat against the Serbs.

Having seen a return to Leeds United — where he was a trainee — fall through last summer, Feeney is ready to leave Cardiff at the earliest possible opportunity in order to put pressure on Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington to keep him in the team.

“I was gutted over the summer with what happened, but I am not one to sit back and look at the past, these things happen in football,” said Feeney.

“The window is coming up in January and we'll see what happens there and take things on in the New Year.

“I want to get out there and I need to get playing to feel good about myself again. I've another six weeks to go and then I'll be looking to get something sorted out.”

“It's been frustrating since the last time I played at Windsor in March and April,” said Feeney.

“The move to Leeds fell through because of the problem with the hip, but that's sorted now and I managed to get myself back ahead of schedule, because I was told I wouldn't kick a ball until the end of October and I was back three weeks before that.

“I'm not one who is going to sit there and pick up the money, I wouldn't do that because I want to play.

“Last season I was up in Scotland on-loan to Dundee United, I was playing and I enjoyed it and I think you could see that in my performances for Northern Ireland.”

Attention turned to 2012 almost immediately after September's 2-0 home loss to Slovakia. The players are now starting to think about the qualifiers and Feeney is ready for the stiff competition for places up-front, with Healy sure to return.

“David Healy has been phenomenal for Northern Ireland, he still is and he is the first one to say 'well done' to the boys who were playing,” said Feeney.

“That's what friendlies are for, everyone wanted to play against Serbia and it was Nigel's decision over who started.

“We have good strikers in the squad and come the next series of qualifiers everyone will be chomping at the bit again to play.”