3 days ago
NI Women's boss has full faith teen shot-stoppers will come good: ‘If they are called upon, I know they are ready to go'
Instead, the manager has backed uncapped namesake teenagers Abbie and Kate Smith to rise to the challenge if she has to throw either in at the deep end.
Jackie Burns' status as Northern Ireland's No.1 is in no doubt and backed up by the fact that she has played every minute of the 15 matches since she returned from injury against Malta in April 2024.
Behind her, however, there is no experienced or obvious backup.
Sixteen-year-old Abbie Smith played just once in the Women's Premiership for Crusaders Strikers before moving to Manchester City's Academy in 2025.
Kate Smith, who was called into the squad to face Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina after Maddy Harvey-Clifford was ruled out, does have more club game-time behind her with both Larne Women and Lisburn Rangers and was part of the Northern Ireland Under-19 squad that played in the recent European qualifiers.
'From my point of view, both Abbie and Kate deserve to be here,' said Oxtoby.
'If they are called upon, I know they are ready to go.
'If it goes really well, I take all the credit, and if it goes really poorly, then I'll take the flak for that.
'It's no different to outfield players, they have to be given the opportunity. They came into the environment last time around as training players, they did really, really well and they deserve to be here.'
Four goalkeepers were used in the 12 games that Burns missed during a year out with an Achilles tendon injury.
Shannon Turner played six times but hasn't been in a squad since Burns returned, while Harvey-Clifford started four times and Lilie Woods and Rachael Norney shared a clean sheet when both made what is their only senior appearance so far in a friendly away to the Czech Republic in July 2023.
Lauren Perry had returned to the squads at the start of 2024 but her chances of challenging for a starting place were wrecked by a third cruciate ligament injury, and Becky Flaherty, who kept two crucial clean sheets on the way to the Women's Euro 2022 Finals, hasn't been in a single squad since the tournament.
The selection of the two Smiths may be with the future in mind, but the present also has to be taken into account with a Nations League Promotion Play-Off still to be played for in Bosnia.
'I know they are prepared really well if needed,' said Oxtoby ahead of Tuesday's encounter in Zenica.
'If the time comes and they go into the game, I've got no doubt that they'll do the job that is asked of them.
'If they make a mistake, that's on me, not on them.'
