Ireland players vote to proceed with Nations League matches against Israel
Republic of Ireland players voted on Saturday to proceed with their Nations League fixtures against Israel, the Football Association of Ireland confirmed, with the first game due to be played in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday. The decision followed a delayed press conference and internal discussions among the squad.
A scheduled press conference ahead of Sunday’s match was postponed until Saturday afternoon and the association said the fixtures would be played after consulting the players. "The Association made this decision following consultation with the Republic of Ireland players who shared different views and a majority expressed that the fixtures should be played. The Association respects the views of all players involved and appreciates the level of sensitivity concerning these fixtures." The delay to media duties and training had raised doubts about whether the match would go ahead.
A group of players were reported to have met at the team hotel after missing the initial press conference, which had been set for 10.15am local time, and a training session at the Nagyerdei Stadium scheduled 45 minutes later. Uefa officials said they were unsure of the reason behind the postponement, and players had previously announced a meeting on Friday to discuss the situation. Sources reported there would be a player statement ahead of the original press conference time.
On Saturday morning there was speculation that a player had refused to participate in the match, and coverage noted that teams who do not meet their obligations can face warnings or fines from Uefa. The association’s public statement stressed it had consulted the squad and that players held differing views on the fixtures. The combination of internal debate and potential regulatory consequences contributed to uncertainty around the squad’s availability.
The Republic began their Nations League campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Kosovo in Pristina on Thursday, and midfielder Jason Knight addressed the situation afterwards. "It’s difficult. I don’t think the game should be going ahead, but it is going ahead. We’ll have a deeper talk about it and what that means, we’ll get our thoughts as a group and go from there. "None of us have gone through this scenario before, but I’d like to think I’m experienced, thick-skinned and I can get through most things and that is what I will try to do. "I’ll try to focus on the football as much as I can. I’ll give my view and my thoughts on it [the Israel games] when I see fit, but I’ll be trying to focus on the football as much as possible."
The immediate next fixture remains the Nations League match against Israel scheduled for Sunday in Debrecen, Hungary, which the Football Association of Ireland has confirmed will be played following the players’ vote.
