Northern Ireland women manager: IFA's preferred candidate accepts another job

Northern Ireland Under-17 and Under-19 manager Gail RedmondLiam McBurney

Under-17 and Under-19 manager Gail Redmond will take interim charge of the senior side in next month's two friendlies

The Irish FA's search for a new Northern Ireland women's manager will go on after its preferred candidate opted to accept a different post.

Under-17 and Under-19 manager Gail Redmond has been put in interim charge following the latest development.

"We have been working hard on this for several months and had identified a suitable candidate," said IFA director of Women's football Angela Platt.

"Unfortunately, this individual has accepted an offer elsewhere."

Friday's IFA statement did not reveal the name of its preferred candidate.

Platt added that Redmond "will lead the senior team for two friendly fixtures next month whilst this process continues".

"Gail has a wealth of experience in the women's game and has a great rapport with the players," added Platt.

Northern Ireland play Scotland in Dundee on 14 July with another away game against as yet unnamed opposition scheduled three days later.

Platt has been working closely with IFA technical director Aaron Hughes in the search for a successor to Kenny Shiels, who guided the squad to a first majors finals at year's European Championships in England.

The IFA's head of elite player development Andy Waterworth took charge of the team in the 4-1 friendly hammering by Wales in March.

Analysis

BBC Sport NI's Andy Gray

It has been 143 days since Kenny Shiels left his role as the Northern Ireland women's manager - and the wait for his replacement is set to roll on well into the summer.

The IFA's admission that its preferred candidate turned down the role effectively means whoever is eventually appointed will be second choice for the position.

In addition to this, any new manager will now be thrown into the deep end for September's Nations League fixtures, which begin with an away derby with the Republic of Ireland.

Redmond, a highly-rated coach who has just been appointed Under-17 and Under-19 manager, will step up for two friendlies in July, but the pressure is now on to make the right permanent appointment to push the team on after Euro 2022 last summer.

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