Page 8 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.16 2020-21

Northern Ireland senior women’s team manager Kenny Shiels has signed a two-year contract
extension.
Shiels, who guided the team to next summer’s UEFA Women’s Euros in England with
a memorable play-off victory against Ukraine last month, is ready to build on that success
during the remainder of his tenure.
“I’m delighted with this development and thankful to the Irish Football Association for
making this happen,” he said.
“The success of the Northern Ireland senior women’s team has added to the interest in
the women’s game from the grassroots level up. My job is to continue to build on the
momentum we have generated and prepare for next summer’s Euros.”
Northern Ireland Women’s first appearance at a major tournament was secured when
they defeated Ukraine Women 2-1 away in Kovalivka and followed that win up with a 2-0
success against the Ukrainians in Belfast in the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022
play-off.
Last week, the draw for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers put Northern
Ireland in the same group as England, Austria, North Macedonia, Latvia and Luxembourg.
Shiels, whose coaching career has taken him to clubs across Northern Ireland as well
as in England, Scotland and Thailand, was appointed as senior women’s team manager in May
2019.

The Scottish Building Society SWPL 2 season, which was halted just before Christmas, is set to
resume early next month and will play to a conclusion.
Scottish Women’s Football (SWF) have been lobbying for the return of SWPL 2 since
the suspension of football in late 2020. However, without testing SWPL 2 has had to follow the
Scottish Government roadmap.
SWF requested an earlier return to contact training of Monday 26th April.
Unfortunately, that request has been declined and SWPL 2 must continue to follow the Scottish
Government roadmap.
This means that SWPL 2 teams will return to contact training on Monday 17th May.
With a commitment from all teams in the league to complete the season based on two rounds
of fixtures, SWF will continue to work with the SWPL 2 working group and all teams in the
league to agree a schedule to allow the league to play to a conclusion.
The league has a total of eight fixtures left to play, commencing Sunday 6th June.
Having played ten games already, the season will be concluded after two full rounds of fixtures
as agreed by clubs unanimously all as part of the league’s COVID contingency planning
process. SWPL 2 will then conclude on Sunday 4th July with two teams gaining promotion to
SWPL 1 and no teams relegated.
The last match played in SWPL 2 was on 20th December, when Glasgow Women won
2-0 against St Johnstone. Aberdeen currently have a lead of seven points at the top of the table,
with Dundee Utd, Hamilton Academicals and Partick Thistle leading the chasing teams.

The draw for the semi finals of the FAW Under-16 Girls Cup has taken place at FA of Wales
headquarters.
The draw was as follows:
Penrhyn Bay v Talycopa
Caerleon v Barry Town United
Ties are to be played on Sunday 9th May. The matches will be played at neutral venues,
which will be confirmed in due course.
Issue no. 16 - 6 May 2021 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk