Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has urged his squad to concentrate solely on their upcoming matches against Israel, as controversy continues to overshadow the Nations League fixtures.
The Icelander stated that he, his coaching staff, and the players are focused purely on the footballing aspects of the games, scheduled for a neutral venue on 27 September and in Dublin on 4 October.
The team finds itself embroiled in a wider debate, highlighted by protests at the Dáil, the Irish parliament, on Wednesday regarding the fixtures.
Hallgrimsson, 58, who last October publicly advocated for Israel's exclusion from all competitions due to military actions in Gaza, addressed the ongoing situation.
"Focusing on the football side of things, I’ve already expressed my opinion on this matter, you don’t need to repeat that one," Hallgrimsson said.
He acknowledged the difficult position the team is in: "But from a footballing perspective – it’s an obstacle I don’t like, and it’s unfair for the players to be in this position and us to be in this position – but from a footballing perspective, I don’t like us to be the bad guys. We are not the bad guys here."
The manager emphasised the team's desire to do their talking on the pitch.
"We just want to perform, we want to play, and the players would like to perform for the country and do well."
He believes success on the pitch is the most effective response.
"I think the best answer for us is just to win this game. That would be a perfect answer from my end. Other decisions are not made by us, but all the players would like to represent the country and do well for them, no matter who is the opponent."
Israel has consistently played its World Cup qualifiers at neutral venues and will continue this arrangement for the Nations League.
The intense scrutiny surrounding their participation has led to suggestions that the Dublin fixture at the Aviva Stadium might also be relocated, despite the Football Association of Ireland's commitment to honouring both games.
Hallgrimsson expressed concern over such a move, highlighting the importance of home advantage.
"It would obviously be a disadvantage from footballing reasons not to play at home. We’ve done really well at home. Hopefully, we’ll continue that tomorrow against Qatar," he noted.
"It’s building to be a strong fortress for us, Aviva, and to move it obviously will lower our chances, so I hope people can rally around the players and us playing instead of protesting or doing something that’s damaging."
