Kenny Shiels: NI manager's position not discussed after comments, says women's director Platt
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Irish FA backs NI women's manager Shiels after controversy over post-match comments
Northern Ireland's director of women's football Angela Platt has said that Kenny Shiels' position as international manager was not discussed after his controversial comments.
Speaking at a post-match press conference following Tuesday night's 5-0 home defeat by England, Shiels said "women are more emotional than men".
He has since apologised and Platt has said the Irish FA support him, adding that she does not think the comments have set the team back as they prepare for the Euros.
"No it wasn't," Platt said when asked if Shiels' position had been discussed in the light of what he said.
"We had a long and frank conversation with Kenny yesterday [Wednesday]. He has addressed the comments, has apologised as well and we look forward to allowing him and the squad to continue their focus in preparing for the European Championships in July.
"We met with him as soon as we could after the match and he has explained the situation. He meant no offence by those comments at all, we accept that and we support him."
'The players wanted to show support for their manager'
Kenny Shiels: Watch Northern Ireland manager's post-match comments
After his side's defeat by England, Shiels said: "Girls and women are more emotional than men. So they take a goal going in not very well."
The remarks made global headlines and drew widespread criticism, but on Thursday morning team captain Marissa Callaghan issued a statement on behalf of the squad which said the players back their manager and stand by him collectively.
Platt said "Marissa speaks on behalf of the whole squad" and explained that the players' statement was of their own doing.
"Marissa was very clear on behalf of the squad and on behalf of the leadership team within that squad that they wanted to be clear on their support," she continued.
"We have had that dialogue with them but that statement was on them, they came out with that themselves and they wanted to show that they were fully behind their manager.
"Kenny has done an awful lot of work on behalf of him and his staff to support the players and showcase them as fine role models in the game. It has actually allowed them to play with a real freedom which they are showing on the pitch.
"They are fully behind him and that success is down to Kenny and his team, and the players buying into that ethos."
The biggest-ever crowd for a Northern Ireland women's international was at Windsor Park on Tuesday night
'We should be talking about the success of NI's campaign'
While Callaghan issued the statement on behalf of the players, Platt is the first Irish FA representative to speak publicly on the matter.
The former Ireland hockey goalkeeper - the first to take up the position of director of women's football at the Irish FA - said she did not think Shiels needed to be doing a media interview.
However, she did acknowledge that the comments he made have overshadowed what was a historic night for the team, when a crowd of just over 15,000 packed into Windsor Park in what was the biggest ever attendance for a Northern Ireland women's international match.
"I'm the director of women's football, I'm responsible for the full pathway from grassroots to senior international level and it is important that I, as leader of that programme, came out and responded on behalf of the Irish FA to show our backing for Kenny," she said.
"There is no doubt we are talking about comments from that post-match press conference when we really should be talking about the success of the campaign that the players have had up until now as a squad, their success on the field in terms of the qualification process and the fact that we have packed out the National Stadium at Windsor Park for the very first time for a women's international.
"But we have addressed those comments and we look forward to continuing the great progress that we have made within the women's game and continuing to grow that as we move forward."