Northern Ireland boss Kenny Shiels apologises for saying 'women are more emotional than men'
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Published 13/04/2022 at 14:52 GMT
In a statement, Shiels said he was "sorry for the offence" he had caused, and maintained that he was an advocate for the women's game. Shiels had made his original comments in his post-match press conference after the heavy defeat to Sarina Wiegman's side that left his side unable to qualify for next year's World Cup.
Anger after NI boss says 'women are more emotional than men' to explain his team's collapse
Northern Ireland boss Kenny Shiels has issued an apology for his comments in the wake of his team's 5-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to England.
Speaking about his side conceding goals quickly after one another, Shiels said he felt the reason was that women "are more emotional than men".
The 65-year-old's words were met with criticism across the game, with ex-England keeper Siobhan Chamberlain calling them "bizarre".
In an online statement released on Wednesday, Shiels wrote: "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.
"I am an advocate for the women's game and passionate about developing opportunities for women and girls to flourish."
The result left Northern Ireland unable to qualify for the World Cup next year.
Speaking after the game at Windsor Park, Shiels had said: "I felt [England] were struggling a bit at times to open us up until the psychology of going 2-0 up in the women's game.
"I'm sure you will have noticed if you go through the patterns - when a team concedes a goal, they concede a second one in a very, very short space of time.
"[It happens] 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.
"When we went 1-0 down we tried to slow it down to give them time to get that emotional imbalance out of their heads. That's an issue we have.
"Not just in Northern Ireland but all of the countries in the world."
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