Ireland undecided on approach for next game against Israel, coach says

Ireland have yet to decide how they will approach their second Nations League match against Israel on Sunday, coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said in comments reported by Irish media.

The remarks, reported on Tuesday, emerged two days after Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in Hungary following a turbulent build-up in which the squad voted to fulfil the fixture despite unease among some players over Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.

“We haven’t decided what we will do 100 percent,” Hallgrimsson said when asked about the return fixture, according to Irish media.

“When we get home tonight, we’ll give them a day off tomorrow to go home, and share a day with their families and friends and loved ones, and then we’ll come back and prepare for the Austria game.

“Hopefully we can finish that one and take a discussion.”

Ireland face Austria on Thursday in Dublin before their designated home match against Israel, which will be played behind closed doors in Backa Topola, Serbia.

Hallgrimsson said that there were differing views within his squad.

“All I can say is I think we are all uncomfortable, number one,” he said.

“Number two, we have different opinions, and we should allow people to have different opinions. It’s not one opinion that’s right and all the others are wrong.”

The Icelandic coach made the comments following Sunday’s match in Debrecen, where Ireland’s players wore black armbands in recognition of all the lives lost in Gaza and bowed their heads as the Israeli national anthem was played at the near-empty stadium.

The teams skipped the traditional pre-match handshakes and did not exchange pennants.

Only one player, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, pulled out, saying “it would be wrong to participate” in either the match or the return fixture in Serbia on October 4 due to the “killing of innocent people”.

Hallgrimsson said that his players had nevertheless “raised awareness worldwide” through their actions.

Since Ireland were drawn in the same Nations League group as Israel in February, sportspeople, fan groups and pro-Palestinian campaigners have called for the fixtures to be boycotted.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) itself requested last year that UEFA suspend Israel but failed to secure sufficient support from European football chiefs.

The FAI moved Ireland’s October 4 match against Israel from Dublin to Serbia, citing “operational challenges”.

Israel strongly rejects allegations that its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide, but an independent United Nations commission of inquiry has found that Israeli military actions and warfare methods in Gaza constitute genocide.