Northern Ireland boss Kenny Shiels apologises after saying women are more emotional than men

The Northern Ireland boss apologized for his comments after the England game in which he said women were more emotional than men.

According to Shiels, women's teams tend to concede goals in quick succession in part because of an emotional imbalance.

I apologize for my comments made in the press conference. 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.

After Northern Ireland's hopes of making the Women's World Cup were ended by England in front of a bumper crowd at Windsor Park, Shiels made controversial comments.

I thought they were struggling at times to open us up until the psychology of going two up.

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If you go through the patterns in the women's game, you will see that a team concedes a goal and then another in a very short period of time.

Girls and women are more emotional than men, so they take a goal not very well.

If you watch, you will see teams concede goals in 18 and 21 minutes, and then in 64 and 68 minutes. That is an emotional goal, so they group them.

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We conceded in 48 with three in seven minutes or three in nine on Friday. We killed the game and tried to slow it down to give them time to get over that emotional imbalance. All the countries have that problem, not just Northern Ireland.

I shouldn't have told you that.

England opened the scoring in the 26th minute, but the side kept the deficit to one goal at the half and conceded four times in 27 second-half minutes.

We tried to slow it down to give them time to get over it. That is an issue we have.

It's not just in Northern Ireland, but all countries.

If Northern Ireland were to progress to Australia and New Zealand next year, they needed to avoid defeat against England.

Northern Ireland's inferior head-to-head record has made it impossible for them to leapfrog their rivals into the only play-off spot.

Match Analysis: England's added dynamism behind big win

Sweetman-Kirk was a former player for the Reds.

It wasn't great in the first half, but credit to Northern Ireland, they banked up and made it difficult, so England couldn't find the spaces initially.

It was much better in the second half, being clinical in front of goal and moving better. It is the job done for England.

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I think Lauren Hemp was very impressive, not only with the goals but her assists and the way she dragged England out in the second half. England are playing with two 10s and they have a great game with the way she made the fourth goal.

The question for Northern Ireland is whether they can do that on a longer period in a game.

What's next for England and Northern Ireland?

The England Women play two games in June in preparation for the Euros in July. The side will play Belgium on June 16 and the Netherlands on June 24 before facing Austria in the tournament.

England and Northern Ireland are both in the same group for the Euros and begin their tournaments on July 7.