Northern Ireland: Former women's boss Kenny Shiels' exit offers 'fresh start' - Angela Platt

Kenny Shiels left his role as Northern Ireland women's manager in January

Northern Ireland can benefit from a "fresh start and fresh approach" when they replace former manager Kenny Shiels, the Irish FA's director of women's football Angela Platt says.

In her first public comment since Shiels left the Northern Ireland job at the end of January, Platt said it will be "a few months" before a new manager is appointed.

Platt also revealed that the players were not consulted about Shiels' departure and that the IFA does not mind if the new boss is male or female.

"We want to look to the future in terms of the next stage of our journey," Platt said when asked about the reasons behind the timing of the former Kilmarnock manager's tenure coming to an end.

"We recognise Kenny's contribution. He'd been with the senior international team for the last four years and obviously the success for us culminated in those historic moments last summer when we got to the Euros.

"We have got a new campaign about to start, once we find out the draw for the Nations League, in May."

• Shiels leaves role as Northern Ireland women's manager

With no manager in place, Northern Ireland did not have a match or training camp in February - when England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland all had fixtures - meaning their next get-together will be for a friendly against Wales in Cardiff in early April.

The inaugural women's Nations League begins in September and, with a permanent manager unlikely to be in place for April, a new recruit would have a sole international window in June to prepare for the return of competitive football in the autumn.

"We wanted to start the campaign fresh and we are looking forward to that. We are actively undergoing our recruitment process at the moment in terms of Kenny's replacement," Platt added.

"It was in the best interests of both parties for us to make that change and we have made it, and are certainly looking to the future.

"Any freshness in terms of the new manager coming in will give a new dynamic to that. For us that is about making sure we build on that success and that we don't let qualification for the Euros and competitions be a one-off.

"We are looking to build on that and have that success as we move forward. It is a fresh start and a fresh approach."

'We want the best person, irrespective of gender'

Qualification for last summer's Euros was the first time Northern Ireland had ever reached the finals of a major competition.

They followed that up in September by completing their World Cup qualifying campaign with away wins over Luxembourg and Latvia, before an impressive home victory over Italy in a friendly in November.

Shiels' departure and the lack of a camp in February created uncertainty around the senior team but Platt added the decision was made with the long-term future of women's football in Northern Ireland in mind.

"I think it is unrealistic that we will have someone in place by then [the Wales match] but we certainly have interim plans in place to make sure that we have that covered for the senior women's squad as they take that friendly against Wales," added Platt.

"We are looking forward to regrouping then and we can build forward from where we are."

Asked if she would like the new manager to be a woman, Platt said: "We are certainly looking for the best person for the job, irrespective of gender. If it happens to be a woman, great. If it happens to be a man, that is great too."

She added: "However, if you were to ask me would I like to see more female coaches coming through our system and supporting them within that structure, of course we would. And that is certainly one of the things that is on my agenda."

'No missed opportunity to build on legacy'

Northern Ireland record goalscorer Rachel Furness revealed in August that she was stepping away from international football "for the foreseeable future" due to personal reasons, but Platt said she would be welcomed back into the squad if she chose to make herself available again.

As well as currently being without a senior manager, Northern Ireland have had no Under-17 or Under-19 manager in place since Alfie Wylie's departure from the IFA before the Euros last year.

Platt explained that the IFA are currently conducting a recruitment process for an Under-16s Academy manager and for an Under-19s/17s boss, two roles which were both previously carried out by Wylie.

She believes it is part of a "refresh" of the women's game which will provide girls and women with more opportunities.

"It is like anything, you reach a period in time where you recognise that there has been a lot of good, solid foundation work being done but elements of that did need to be a little bit refreshed," she explained.

"It was my job to come in, look at that and see where that needed to be refreshed. Those are the decisions that I have taken and [been] supported by the association in relation to providing the equal opportunities for girls and boys has been the ethos around that."

Angela Platt said Rachel Furness would be welcomed back after stepping away from Northern Ireland duty for personal reasons

Asked if the lack of youth team managers in place combined with the fact the Northern Ireland senior team did not get together in February were signs of the IFA not maximising the legacy benefits of reaching the Euros, Platt pointed to the fact that 17 new teams are joining NIWFA leagues this year as well as stressing the IFA's commitment to growing the women's game.

"I don't think there is any missed opportunity in terms of building on that legacy because the definition of legacy is proving that it is coming through in terms of our development," she said.

"But would I say we have got more work to do? Of course we do and we want to continue to build on that legacy and continue to focus on those development opportunities as we move forward."