Football boss sorry for saying women concede goals because they get more emotional

13 April 2022, 20:23 | Updated: 14 April 2022, 06:21

The manager of Northern Ireland's women's football team has apologised for saying female teams concede more goals in rapid succession because they get "more emotional than men".

Kenny Shiels said sorry for his comments that he made after his goal conceded four goals in less than half-an-hour in a World Cup qualifier against England on Tuesday.

He insisted he was an "advocate" for women's football despite saying girls and women don't take conceding a goal "well" a day earlier.

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.

"I am an advocate for the women's game and passionate about developing opportunities for women and girls to flourish."

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After seeing his side collapse 5-0 in the qualifier in Belfast, Shiels had 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."

The remarks drew dismay, with the chief executive at Women in Football, Yvonne Harrison, saying she felt the clock had been turned back "30 years".

She pointed to Chelsea scoring rapidly in their 6-0 away win at Southampton on Saturday, and Spurs beating Aston Villa 4-0 the same day, as evidence that such goal gluts are not confined to women's sport.