The eve of Ireland’s Nations League match against Israel has been thrown into chaos, with the team missing their scheduled training session as they remained locked in lengthy meetings as to whether they should individually proceed with the game.
Gavin Bazunu told the squad last night that he did not wish to participate in the Israel game, with other players understood to be considering whether to join him in withdraing from the game.
The players’ lengthy deliberations led them to miss their press conference and training session at the Nagyerdei stadium in Debrecen. The press conference, scheduled for 10.15am local time, was postponed at just 19 minutes notice. The Irish and Israeli media were assembled at the stadium in Debrecen when the Irish media were informed via WhatsApp message that the press conference would be delayed by up to two hours, and held after the team training session.
The Uefa match delegate was informed of the delay at the same time, and was not given a reason. They ultimately did not turn up for training. The media decamped to outside the team hotel, within which the players were meeting with Heimir Hallgrimsson and the coaching staff. The players had earlier met with FAI CEO David Courell.
The Irish players first met yesterday to exchange their views on playing against Israel, though a squad-wide boycott was not initially on the agenda. The meeting was intended as a means of arriving at a formal position regarding how to proceed around the match, and whether or not to stage a protest ahead of the game. It was during the meeting that Bazunu said he did not wish to participate in the match against Israel.
The FAI has remained adamant all week that the game would go ahead, but their communications department was silent as the media sat in an otherwise empty press conference room.
Hallgrímsson acknowledged earlier this week that the players do not all share the same opinion and the same strength of opinion on whether to play Israel. The players were expected to issue a statement affirming their position on the match before the press conference but it did not arrive, given the lack of unanimity in the Irish squad.
From Gavin Cummiskey:
FAI CEO David Courell did not attend Kosovo match in Pristina as he was meeting Government ahead of the Budget. Uefa and Israel FA officials at stadium this morning had no prior knowledge that FAI would pull out of training.
The FAI “postponed” training at 9.56am Hungary time. Presser was scheduled for 10.15am. Training 11am.
It is now 1.28pm in Hungary.