Irish Examiner View: Shiels’ outburst a backwards step for women in sport

The dodgy conclusions of the Northern Ireland women’s soccer team manager about the female psyche shows just how far women’s sports have still to travel.

Northern Ireland manager Kenny Shiels' post-match comments caused controversy this week. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire.

Just as professional women’s sports are gaining huge popularity, media traction, financial support, and long overdue credibility, one man’s Neanderthal views have nearly put the kibosh on a wonderful new field of sporting endeavour.

Kenny Shiels, manager of the Northern Ireland women’s soccer team, following an upsetting 5-0 home loss to England this week in a World Cup qualifier (which drew the biggest ever crowd for a women’s soccer international in Belfast), said his side’s concession of four quick second-half goals showed that “women are more emotional than men”.