Rachel Furness named Newcastle United under-16s coach | OneFootball

Rachel Furness has been announced as Newcastle United under-16s head coach.

The former Northern Ireland international announced her retirement from professional football over the summer, having completed her UEFA B Licence.

The 37-year-old is now working towards her UEFA A Licence, and takes over the under-16s in their first season as a Professional Game Academy.

“I’m delighted to be starting my coaching career at my childhood club,” Furness said in a club statement. “I loved playing here and now is my chance to give back to the younger players and inspire them.

“To be involved at a club like this gives me a great opportunity to continue to learn and develop as a coach.”

Rachel Furness’s international career

Furness is Northern Ireland’s record goalscorer. The midfielder won 95 caps and scored 38 goals for her country, helping them to qualification for their first major international tournament, the Women’s Euros in 2022.

She reflected to the BBC: “I’m so proud that I’ve got that record. There was blood, sweat and tears to score that many goals for Northern Ireland, in a team that traditionally doesn’t score that many goals.

“Every one one of those 95 caps was special in a different way and every one of them has a story attached to it.”

On retirement, she said in a video posted to social media channels: “I’ve been in football a long time and I’d like to think over the years I’ve made a difference, especially with Northern Ireland. That’s all I ever wanted; I wanted to make a difference and help pave the way for all you coming through.”

Northern Ireland senior women’s team manager Tanya Oxtoby said in a statement on the Irish FA website: “Rachel has been the ultimate professional the entire time I have known her, whether she’s been in the squad or not. The respect she’s shown, and her ability to always put the team first, speaks volumes about her character.

Rachel Furness’s club records

Domestically, Furness played for Newcastle United, Sunderland, Reading, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Bristol City in England, as well as a spell at Grindavik in Iceland, ending her career with a return to her childhood club.

She put her name in the record books as Spurs’s first-ever goalscorer in the Women’s Super League when she struck against Liverpool at the Hive, Barnet, in September 2019.

She also won promotion from what was then the Women’s Championship to the WSL in consecutive seasons, first with Liverpool in 2021-22, and then with Bristol City in 2022-23.