Laura Woods responds to N. Ireland Women boss who blames defeat on 'emotional' players

talkSPORT host Laura Woods offered her response to the boss after he said 'women are more emotional than men' as he blamed his players for their capitulation in the second-half of their World Cup qualifier.

The score was 1-0 to England at the break, but the Lionesses then ran riot with four goals in a ruthless 27-minute spell as they claimed a huge 5-0 victory in front of a bumper 15,348 crowd at Windsor Park

The result came after Northern Ireland's 3-1 loss to Austria on Friday - where they conceded three goals in the space of nine minutes - with the two defeats ending their hopes of qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup.

Speaking after the game, Shiels not only claimed his side has conceded more goals in quick succession because of their emotions, but said it is a wider 'problem' across the women's game.

"I thought they were struggling a wee bit at times to open us up until the psychology of going two up," he said.

"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 don't take a goal going in very well.

"When we went 1-0 down we tried to slow it right down to give them time to get that emotional imbalance out of their heads. That's an issue we have.

"It's not just in Northern Ireland, but all countries have that problem."

He ended his statement with a telling remark: "… I shouldn't have told you that."

talkSPORT Breakfast host Woods said: "No Kenny, you really shouldn't!

"I'm hoping not to react in too much of an emotional way for Kenny to digest this one…

"I think I've seen more teams capitulate across a broad spectrum of games in men's and women's football - I dont think it's got anything to do with emotion, necessarily.

"What I do think it might have something to do with, is that England are ranked eighth in the world and Northern Ireland are 46th, so I'm just going to say that's got something to do with your team getting pumped by the Lionesses, perhaps?

"I think that's a really silly observation to make and it's not going to go down well."

Co-host and former Aston Villa captain Gabby Agbonlahor said: "You're counting to ten in your head, aren't you Laura?"

"I really am," Woods replied. "It's just my emotions, they might get the better of me!"

Agbonlahor added: "It's a bad take isn't it. I've been in many teams that have capitulated when we've conceded one goal, and then you quickly concede two, three, four. It's a ridiculous statement there. I'm sure he will apologise for it."

"And I tell you who won't appreciate it - his players," added Woods. "Maybe it's got more to do with the way you're managing your team, Kenny!

"I choose to laugh at it, really, because it's just so ridiculous.

"It's definitely got more to do with the way your team is set up, and the fact the women's game in England is leaps and bounds ahead of the game in many other countries. You just have to look at these World Cup qualifying games as proof of that."

Northern Ireland needed to avoid defeat against Group D leaders England to keep their slim hopes of progressing to Australia and New Zealand next year alive.

While they can still move level on points with second-placed Austria, Northern Ireland's inferior head-to-head record has extinguished any chance of leapfrogging their rivals into the only play-off berth.

The Lionesses, meanwhile, are already assured at least a play-off place and have have scored 68 goals in eight games, conceding no goals in Group D with just two matches to go, against Austria and Luxembourg.