Kenny Shiels: Women's Euro 2022 will come 'too soon' for Northern Ireland

Kenny Shiels has admitted Northern Ireland's presence at the Women’s Euros this summer has probably come too soon.

Shiels’ side booked their ticket for the tournament in England, which gets under way next month, with a play-off victory over Ukraine to seal their first qualification for a major event, but he is under no illusions as to the task they face.

Northern Ireland have been drawn in a group with the hosts, Austria and Norway, three sides their manager believes will have a say in the latter stages of the competition.

Shiels said: "We’ve probably reached these finals too soon in terms of being ready, but we’ll see because I hope the girls can contradict that and go and get a result against Norway and get a result against Austria as well."