Women's World Cup: Watch highlights of Austria 3-1 Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland manager Kenny Shiels has called on the Northern Ireland Football League to change the domestic calendar to help the national team.
The Women's Premiership season currently runs from the spring to October.
"That is unfair on our girls when they play internationals," said Shiels after NI's 3-1 defeat in Austria.
"Our girls hadn't played a competitive game in five months. You could see the girls were not conditioned."
The majority of the Northern Ireland squad play in the Women's Premiership. A professional programme was put in place for 22 domestic-based players in the build-up to the Euro 2022 finals, however Shiels feels his squad still need competitive minutes to compete with higher-ranked teams.
The previous Women's Premiership season finished in October and, prior to Friday's defeat by Austria which all but ended NI's World Cup hopes, the last competitive internationals were in November.
Three friendlies took place in February and Shiels' side have been playing internal games while in the full-time set up.
'There has to be common sense'
The former Kilmarnock and Derry City manager said "common sense has to prevail" in terms to syncing the Women's Premiership up to the international calendar.
"Austria's [players] are playing in the Bundesliga every week in Germany or Arsenal or teams like that," he continued.
"They are playing every week, and we have to get the league moved co-ordinately with the football calendar.
"Our league, the NIFL league, is not in the football calendar. They have got to have it August through to May.
"There has to be common sense because we are playing matches against two of the best teams in Europe but we haven't got match fitness in comparison and we haven't played games.
"We are in a full-time programme and we are playing friendlies. That's a big issue."
NIFL declined to comment on Shiels' comments.
When asked if he had spoken or planned to speak to NIFL, Shiels replied: "No, I can't speak up.
"I feel all the teams who play through the summer struggle with the spring fixtures, which we are in now.
"The league finishes in October, and if you are not playing from October to April in a competitive environment then you have no chance."
