Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has said his team will fulfil their second Uefa Nations League fixture against Israel, insisting the FAI’s position is that both games will be played. Speaking before Thursday’s match against Austria in Dublin, Hallgrimsson said he was not aware of a squad meeting to decide whether to play the second Israel game. “The FAI has said we are playing both games. That was our intention when we came into the camp and it is still our intention,” he said. “We are trying to focus on the football. It is already decided we will fulfil the games.”
The Republic beat Israel 3-0 in Hungary in their first Nations League meeting on Sunday after the players voted to fulfil the fixture. They have faced calls to withdraw from the games because of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. The ‘Stop The Game’ campaign, organised by pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine, issued an open letter this week calling for the Republic to pull out of Sunday’s behind-closed-doors match in Serbia.
Doubts about the first Israel game emerged on Saturday when the Republic’s pre-match news conference was postponed because of a squad meeting. When it began more than five hours later than planned, FAI chief executive David Courell said a players’ vote on whether to play passed by a “significant majority”. While fulfilling the game, the Republic players did not engage in pre-match formalities, wore black armbands and bowed their heads during Israel’s national anthem. The team’s most recent home game, a friendly against Qatar in May, was interrupted when fans threw tennis balls featuring the Palestine flag on to the pitch.
Asked about potential protests during Thursday’s encounter with Austria, Hallgrimsson said: “I must focus on football. I will let others think about security and those things. We are playing Austria, the highest-ranked team in the group. I’m not going to allow outside noise to affect me focusing on football.”
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu made himself unavailable for both Israel games, saying he felt it “would be wrong to participate”. He returned to training before the Austria match, and Hallgrimsson praised him and the rest of the squad while hitting out at “lies” that had been reported regarding the goalkeeper’s decision. “Gavin is a great lad. I’ve always had a good relationship with him and it’s probably more tough for him than the other players, but they have really welcomed him,” Hallgrimsson said. He confirmed Luton keeper Josh Keeley will take Bazunu’s place in the squad for the second Israel game. “There’s been a lot of lies said around all of this, but we welcome him back and he’s taken part, amazing,” Hallgrimsson added. “I think it shows his character, as well, to be with us, so I want to give him praise for that.”
Hallgrimsson also praised midfielder Finn Azaz but would not confirm whether he will be selected for the second Israel game after he was an unused substitute in the 3-0 win. The Southampton midfielder has family links to Israel on his mother’s side, and Hallgrimsson lauded the 26-year-old’s “incredible emotional control”. “He’s been one of the persons I admire the most in how he conducted himself in all of this,” Hallgrimsson said. “It is about being a member of a team, so you need to listen to all opinions. To do your thing, to do your work with grace and understanding of all opinions.”