Kenny Shiels apologises after controversial comment on player emotions

Northern Ireland boss Kenny Shiels' has apologised after his claim that female teams concede goals in clusters because they are "more emotional than men" was labelled "very unhelpful".

Shiels’ comments came after he had seen his side concede four goals inside 27 second-half minutes during Tuesday night’s 5-0 World Cup qualifier defeat by England in Belfast, prompting criticism to which he responded on Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement, he said: “I wish to apologise for my comments made in the post-match press conference last night. I am sorry for the offence that they have caused.

“Last night was a special occasion for the women’s game in Northern Ireland and I am proud to manage a group of players who are role models for so many girls, and boys, across the country.

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“I am an advocate for the women’s game and passionate about developing opportunities for women and girls to flourish.”

Shiels spoke about his side’s propensity to concede goals in quick succession — they had also shipped three inside just nine minutes against Austria on Friday — after seeing them make it to the 52nd minute trailing just to Lauren Hemp’s first-half strike before wilting in front of a crowd of 15,348 crowd at Windsor Park.

He said: “In the women’s game you’ll have noticed if you go through the patterns, when a team concedes a goal they concede a second one within a very short period of time.

“Right through the whole spectrum of the women’s game, because girls and women are more emotional than men, so they take a goal going in not very well.”