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

What the report says

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson says the team has not yet settled on how it will handle its next Nations League match against Israel, according to comments reported by Irish media and carried by Al Jazeera. The remarks came after Ireland’s 3-0 win over Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, and ahead of the return fixture scheduled for Sunday.

The build-up to the first match was marked by internal unease over Israel’s war in Gaza. Hallgrimsson said the squad includes different views and that players should be allowed to hold them. One player, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, withdrew from the game and the follow-up fixture, saying he did not want to take part because of the killing of innocent people. The rest of the team went ahead with the match.

During Sunday’s game, Irish players wore black armbands, observed the Israeli anthem in silence and skipped the usual pre-match handshake and pennant exchange. Hallgrimsson said the team had helped draw attention to the issue. Ireland are due to play Austria in Dublin before the Israel fixture, which has been moved from Dublin to Backa Topola, Serbia, and will be held behind closed doors.

The Football Association of Ireland had previously sought UEFA action against Israel but did not get enough support, while campaigners and some sports figures had urged a boycott. Al Jazeera noted that Israel rejects genocide allegations, though a UN inquiry has found Israeli actions in Gaza constitute genocide.