James McClean tears into manager Kenny Shiels over ’emotional’ footballers remark

James McClean tears into Northern Ireland women’s manager Kenny Shiels over his ’emotional’ footballers remark made this week.

Shiels told reporters after his team’s 5-0 defeat to England on Tuesday evening that his side had conceded two goals in quick succession because “girls and women are more emotional than men”.

His comments caused huge controversy on social media, with players, coaches, pundits and supporters all taking to criticising what Shiels had to say.

🗣 “Girls and women are more emotional than men.”

Northern Ireland Women’s manager Kenny Shiels has made an outlandish claim that women are more likely to concede goals in quick succession than men because they’re more emotional. 💭 pic.twitter.com/3aOhiUhOnx

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 13, 2022

In his post-match press conference, he said: “I thought they were struggling a wee bit at times to open us up until the psychology of going two up. In the women’s game you’ll have noticed if you go through the patterns, when a team concedes a goal they concede a second one within a very short period of time.

“Right through the whole spectrum of the women’s game, because girls and women are more emotional than men, so they take a goal going in not very well.”

McClean has now taken to social media to slam the coach, posting on his Instagram story: “Gift that keeps on giving.

“Same guy when managing Derry said that international football has no pride anymore, that Ireland are England reserves and the North of Ireland are England reserves’ reserves and now manages the North of Ireland’s women’s INTERNATIONAL team.”

Women in Football’s chief executive Yvonne Harrison described Shiels’ comments to be “very unhelpful”.

She told the PA news agency: “I was disappointed, I was quite shocked. Hearing a man talking about women being too emotional in this day and age, I just felt like I’d gone back 30 years, to be perfectly honest with you.

“But I caveat that with his team had just been beaten 5-0 by a very strong Lionesses team and that’s not easy to take, and you’ve got all the media on you. Let’s think about the 15,000-plus people who were at the match – that’s amazing. Let’s think about the fact, from a Lionesses point of view, we’re almost there, one more point going into the Euros, so that’s brilliant as well. So there are a lot of positives to take from the game.

“But the fact that we talk about being too emotional, it’s something women have had to face for years and years right across society, not just sport, and the comments are very unhelpful and not particularly inspiring to young girls and boys who were watching that game and think that’s OK to talk like that.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, Shiels said: “I wish to apologise for my comments made in the post-match press conference last night. 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. I am an advocate for the women’s game and passionate about developing opportunities for women and girls to flourish.”

Ex-England Women goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain described the comments by Shiels as ‘bizarre’.

She told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘We all know – and we get it drilled into us as footballers – the five minutes after you concede a goal, the five minutes after you score a goal across the board, not just in women’s football, in men’s football as well, you’re more likely to concede a goal, you’re more likely to potentially go on to score again.

‘That’s not just in the women’s game, that’s in the men’s game as well and to just generalise that to women is a slightly bizarre comment.

‘You need to kind of take a bit of responsibility of knowing the value that words can hold and when you give post-match press conferences when you’re feeling emotional after a big game, it’s important to make sure that you’re speaking sensibly and are aware of the message that your words can carry.’

“I was cringing so hard!”

“To paint women as ‘emotional’ when conceding goals is not fair & not correct.”

Shebahn Aherne outlines why Kenny Shiels’ comments reinforce why people shouldn’t make sweeping statements. pic.twitter.com/8DGwM0Q87b

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 13, 2022

Wright, who has long been a vocal advocate for women’s football, went on Twitter to express his thoughts on Shiels’ comments.

“Kenny Shiels talking foolishness,” he said. “Talking about emotional women! Didn’t that man see how many times I was crying on the PITCH! Kmt [kiss my teeth].”

SEE MORE: Ian Evatt speaks on James McClean incident as police ‘attack’ Bolton fans

As James McClean tears into manager Kenny Shiels over the manager’s ’emotional’ footballers remark, fans had their say…

@AndyMaxVolume: As always James McClean gets it right

@johnnyl1968: Never in my life did I ever believe I’d agree with one word that James McClean would say. Shiels as obviously never seen my players reactions when they concede a goal #dinosaur

@iamHelenAlice: because nothing says emotionally stable rational person than resorting to out of date, wrong, damaging stereotypes to try and excuse your inability to do your job well 👍

@Sid_LFC: Imagine the morale of girls of his team coming to training next morning after hearing this.

@Funnyseasider: I wouldn’t be surprised if half of them refused to turn up to his next training session. And rightly so.

@FPL_GusFairview: 😂 So by this logic, the team that scores first ALWAYS wins. After how many goals do players become less emotional or does the cycle just repeat until time runs out and goals are scored every 2 minutes. What happens if it is an own goal. Is that more or less emotional? #DoYourJob

@cajroberts18: I’ve seen some ridiculous opinions on womans football but this has to be up there at the very top. How is this idiot anywhere near the game. Failed in the men’s game and now failing in the womans game.

@hedaaloy: Imagine blaming women for being incompetent in doing your job

@gmfanspage:
He stopped himself from doing match day interviews at Morton because he was too emotional.
He also stood back and watched us get pumped 10-2.
Worst manager to take the game.

@Overthehillprop: Fuck me it’s even worse when you see him say it on camera. Troglodyte doesn’t even begin to describe him.

@gracle: The fact that anyone connected with pro football came out with this nonsense, let alone the manager of a women’s international football side, is astonishing. Men get emotional on the pitch all the time! 🙈

@dannypape1: Such an unnecessary thing to say. Sack him for being stupid

@_kayleydavies: absolute dinosaur and a shit manager, also clearly shouldn’t be anywhere near the woman’s game. does he even watch the game? how many times do the mens sides concede in quick succession, plenty. not helping this misconception that men shouldn’t be emotional either, get him out

@bellacfc: he’s literally contributing to the the toxic idea that men can’t get emotional over things lmao

@BenCra1g: Sacked in the morning