Category Sports News

Northern Ireland Women are yet to begin their 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign without a manager, which is less than seven weeks away.

The Irish Football Association is currently accepting applications until Friday, January 23rd, just 37 days before their opening game, which will be played on Tuesday, March 3, in Switzerland.

After two years in charge, Tanya Oxtoby stepped down as Newcastle United Women’s manager on November 20.

The IFA announced eight days later that they had “started preparations” to find her successor, but they have not made much progress since then, almost three months.

Given that the World Cup qualifying campaign has only six games left before May, it is very worrying for NI.

The ideal candidate would have a base in either the UK or Ireland, according to the job description, and they “will be tasked with inspiring and training elite players to compete internationally and contribute to shaping the future of women’s football.”

They must also “take the senior women’s team’s next step in its development and build on recent advances” respectively.

The choice candidate will have the task of hitting the ground running given their short lead in time for their first competitive game, but what is left out is.

With a squad that had an average age of 24.8 in their previous game against Iceland in October and when the domestic-based players haven’t played since last year, that is easier said than done especially in international football.

In March, April, and May, NI will play home and away qualifiers against Turkey, Malta, and Switzerland.

Similar rules apply to the Nations League, which will take place in Brazil in 2027.

Only the top four League A winners will automatically advance to the finals, with the rest of the teams having to compete in the play-offs for the final eight spots.

They must avoid finishing third in their group in order for NI to win a play-off.

In their last five games, Turkey are unbeaten while Malta held NI to a 0-0 at Windsor in Euro 2025 qualifying, and Switzerland reached the quarter-finals of the previous year’s Euros.

The next manager will be a real baptism of fire playing against the Swiss away first, which is arguably the strongest team in the group.

Because Simone Magill is expecting her first child, the new boss will miss her as the team’s top scorer and captain for this campaign.

In the interim, they will be required to choose a captain, update their roster quickly, and select a replacement captain from the pool of players.

For a rundown of the players and the state of the game in NI, the next manager might also need to draw on Gail Redmond’s experience from Under-17 and Under-19.

Although NI has been without a manager for almost three months, Oxtoby’s appointment as Kenny Shiels’ replacement in 2023 is not far behind.

Oxtoby was appointed as the new NI manager in August of the same year, almost seven months after Shiels left in January 2023.

The Australian’s quick preparation time for her first game, a 3-0 Nations League defeat by Republic of Ireland in Dublin on September 23 was short, like who came next.

By the beginning of December, she had already won six of her previous Nations League games, and the outcomes were mixed.

The Irish were “two or three years” ahead of her team in terms of development, according to Oxtoby at the time, with two victories against Albania, a draw against Hungary, and a crushing 6-1 defeat at home against the Republic.

Northern Ireland feel like they are at a crossroads after two years, having to redevelop under the direction of a new manager with fresh ideas at a crucial time in the international cycle.

The Republic, who are currently in their second year under Carla Ward, have a good chance of winning two World Cups and have a new approach to play under their manager.

Given the squad’s youthful nature, it has always seemed like NI would start this qualifying campaign too soon.

In the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup, Chelsea will host Manchester United, a repeat of the final from the previous year.

In that game at Wembley, the Blues won the competition and won it for the first time in domestically, beating United 3-3.

After both teams recorded resounding victories in the fourth round, Liverpool will face Everton in a Merseyside derby.

A trip to Birmingham City is what fourth-tier Chatham Town gets for defeating York City.

Sheffield United will host Super League leaders Manchester City, and Bristol City, home of the 14-time champions of the FA Cup, will host Arsenal.

Sheffield United vs. Manchester City

Everton vs. Liverpool

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

Charlton Athletic vs. Oxford United

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur vs. London City Lionesses

Chatham Town vs. Birmingham City

After leaving San Diego Wave, France forward Delphine Cascarino has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with London City Lionesses.

Cascarino stated that she wanted to be closer to home and that she would not like to leave her contract with the Wave, the club that runs the National Women’s Soccer League.

The 28-year-old had signed for the Wave in 2024 after spending her entire senior career there, including six victories in French leagues and nine women’s titles.

Cascarino has assisted France in each of their group stage victories over England and the Netherlands 86 times, helping them reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic football competition in Paris 2024 and the final eight again at Euro 2025.

Cascarino said, “England is the country of football, for both men and women. Playing in this league has always been one of my goals.

I want to compete in the Champions League at London City and win numerous awards.

The London City Lionesses are currently seventh in the Women’s Super League, their first appearance this year.

Eder Maestre, the head coach, said, “I’m so excited about this signing.” One of the most exciting forwards I have seen, in my opinion. She will be very powerful on the wing and can take on players in one-on-one situations.

“Everyone can see how talented she is as a player, and I want that warrior-like, winning mindset off the field to help us achieve our goals.”

After falling to the Denver Broncos in the NFL play-off on Saturday, the Buffalo Bills fired coach Sean McDermott.

Although McDermott had a star quarterback Josh Allen and won the AFC East on five occasions, he was unable to reach a Super Bowl despite the fact that Buffalo made it to the playoffs in eight of the 51-year-old’s nine seasons as coach.

Allen had a chance to win in overtime over the weekend, but the Broncos were unable to score a field goal with 33-30 after making his fourth turnover in Saturday’s Divisional Round game.

Owner Terry Pegula credited Sean with changing the organization’s mindset and making the Bills a perennial playoff team.

However, I believe a new structure is necessary to give this organization the best chance to advance our team.

McDermott is the 10th head coach in the NFL since the start of the season and the eighth head coach to step down this month.

Buffalo are the first NFL team to reach the Super Bowl after winning six straight games without making it to the championship.

Next Sunday, the LA Rams travel to divisional rival Seattle for the NFC Championship game, while New England travels to Denver Broncos for the AFC equivalent.

Ben Collins, a BBC NFL reporter, analyzes the situation.

In his first season with Buffalo, McDermott ended an 18-year play-off drought and helped them become regulars in the post-season, but his foe, the Kansas City Chiefs, proved to be his foe.

In four of the previous five seasons, the Chiefs have beaten the Bills to the Super Bowl in an effort to form a winning dynasty.

The path was supposedly clear for McDermott to win the Bills’ first Super Bowl since losing four straight against them in 1991, when the Chiefs failed to make the playoffs along with AFC rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati.

The Bills’ roster was at its weakest since Allen was drafted in 2018, and McDermott was relying too heavily on the NFL’s reigning Most Valuable Player to keep creating individual magic moments.

The Bills had to settle for a wildcard spot in the playoffs and travel on the road as a result of New England’s resumption.

And they lost in Denver’s Divisional Round despite winning at Jacksonville on Wildcard Weekend.

In six straight seasons, Buffalo was the only team to win a play-off game. The fact that the other three teams each won three Super Bowls while claiming one of them is a telling one for McDermott.

On the other hand, he and Allen have an unfavorable track record of winning the most play-off games (eight) without being the NFL’s title winner.

Time is still on Allen’s side at 29. In the most recent hiring cycle, some well-known coaches have been available to the Bills as they prepare to relocate to a new stadium.

What could be one of the key matches on Sunday after the Scottish Cup weekend is over, and attention turns to the most intriguing Premiership title races in a long time.

Rangers, who are second on goal difference, are eager to capitalize on Heart of Midlothian’s surprise match against second-placed Celtic, who are second behind.

Former Rangers’ midfielders Charlie Adam, Paul Hartley, one-time Celtic and Hearts players, and Barry McKay, who both played for Hearts and Rangers, all agree that the current three-horse race is too close to call.

After Celtic have been the “dominant force” for most of the past 15 years, Hartley believes it is “good for Scottish football” and that “it’s about time” we had “a proper title race.”

It’s wide open, according to Adam, while McKay is “sitting on the fence” about where the silverware will go.

Hearts are six points clear of the leader, but Derek McInnes’ side suffered a double blow on Saturday when they lost to Falkirk at home in the Scottish Cup on penalties and top scorer Lawrence Shankland injured in addition to important midfielder Cammy Devlin’s absence.

How do Hartley, McKay, and Adam anticipate the Edinburgh side’s response then?

PH: “I didn’t think that would have occurred at the start of the season, but I think Derek has built a strong squad.”

And they’ve lost two games in a row in the league. They always recover from defeats.

“I think Tynecastle’s fans really believe they can win the league because you can see the atmosphere there,” he said.

We’ve already experienced that season’s opening with a strong start in 2005-06, but this season feels completely different.

You can see why the players are believing as well because they have a very good, experienced manager, are well run, and have a good board.

You can see the team’s spirit and the apparent rift between the players and the supporters.

“I believe Hearts are favorites because of their consistent displays.

“Two key players,” Devlin has done a fantastic job for them. Because he is the captain, the goals he can score, and his first-team experience, Shankland is the key player.

“I think the weekend game is obviously huge for them, but I think they’ve always had these doubts about how well they’ve performed and received the outcome they needed.

“I just believe there is a genuine groupness there. They have a really strong core group of players and excellent leadership.

At the top end of the pitch, we have one of the best finishers in the country. They have a strong defense, are excellent in the middle of the park, and have some guile and flair on the sides as well.

Shankland is a very clever footballer who really brings the other goals into play as well, and you can’t ignore his goals either. He will be a big miss if he is missing.

They’re a truly top team, and what you hear outside indicates that they will only get better.

It’s certain in them to beat Rangers and Celtic coming away because they’ve had question marks on them before.

I don’t understand how they can’t do it given their performance this year.

CA: “I believe Hearts has been in unimaginable form historically.” What Derek’s built has been incredible for a team that has been assembled with a new manager at the start of the season.

After sacking Wilfried Nancy, who had a disappointing run-up to Brendan Rodgers’ departure in October, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has returned for his second stint as interim manager and third overall.

PH: “It’s unlike Celtic, isn’t it? ” They’ve had a lot of success, but this season has been strange.

Everyone can see that they are short of players and have to switch managers three times.

“Martin is getting tired. He is frequently asked about player recruitment and strikers in press releases.

Everyone is aware that they require strikers, or at least one striker, and that they also require reinforcements. Therefore, there will be a large window.

“The winner will determine the difference between the three clubs,” the statement continues.

CA: “It’s important for them to have Martin back and win the last few games to regain a little bit more confidence.”

After Russell Martin’s early departure in the first season, Rangers have also changed their head coach and are now thrust back into the title race under Danny Rohl.

Danny has done a fantastic job, CA says. He is aware of Rangers’ intentions and actions. He behaved as a manager for the Rangers should. In the media, he spoke very well.

“Has he played the best football?” Probability isn’t, but he has produced results, which is important, especially since winning football games has been done quickly.

The club, supporters, and owners are all attempting to do the right things, according to the owner. The owners made mistakes, and they have since corrected them.

“They’ve obviously done some good business,” he said, “but I believe they also need a goal scorer who can really affect their top end of the pitch.”

Rangers are quiet and content while operating quietly in the background. It’s obvious that they haven’t seen Connor Barron in a while, so they needed to add a midfielder and a left-back.

BM: “Of course, the manager has come in, and he’s just won on the board,” and that’s the most crucial thing for any manager.

“It’s brought a real unity between the squad and him to start piqueing fans’ interest as well as his ongoing work on the pitch. I’m confident that he will be pleased with the fact that they’ve already done a small amount of business.

You’ll start to really see his type of team once you start to see more and more players join. They will be right there if they can just keep running their own business and winning the games.

PH: “He’s done a fantastic job since the new manager comes in. He has them well-drilled and organized. They are therefore in a strong position to win the title.