Updates on the Ireland and Israel match
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Why is the Ireland‑Israel Nations League match being called a “global story” despite being a Group B game?
The Pat Kenny Show on News Talk. Just want to bring you some of the texts that we've been getting from our listeners this morning, many of them about the game between Israel and Ireland tonight. Kira, I feel so sorry for these players. Ultimately, it's the FAI's decision to call it on or off, says Paul. Another texture saying, I won't actually watch the match this evening. And another texture says, Total respect for Gavin Bazuni. I can only help he Gets supported by his teammates. Do keep your text coming into us 087-1400-106, particularly in relation to that match between Ireland and Israel tonight. Really interesting conversation if you heard our newspaper panel this morning, because there is a whole spectrum of opinion in the papers today, everything from calling those players cowards to calling them heroes.
And a very difficult position for I think for them to be in. You can listen back to that conversation with our panellists this morning on the Go Loud app if you get the chance. Well, under I think normal circumstances, talk about tonight's game against Israel would be focused on how Ireland might turn around that terrible Thursday night loss against Kosovo. But these are not normal times, and Israel's home match is in Hungary, and there have been massive protests and calls to stop the game since the draw was made. The Irish manager, Himer Halgrumson, was caught in a war of words with the Israeli FA, and we covered here at length on the programme yesterday the fallout as the players began to voice their opposition to playing in the game yesterday.
understand that there was a vote taken and that the plow players voted fourteen to eight to play the game. Well Aidan Fitzmorris is a sports reporter at the Irish Independent and he joins us from Hungary now. Aidan, lovely to have you on the programme. I mean you got a sense, I think, watching that. press conference yesterday of how the difficulty that the players and the team and the manager They what they face going into this game tonight. And I didn't get a sense that after that vote that a line had been drawn under this issue and we'd be moving on and focusing on the game. There were to be further discussions with the team last night. What are you hearing?
It's not over yet. I mean at the moment uh the game is on. I'm I'm in a hotel just about ten minutes by tram away from the stadium here and my bag is packed and ready to go, but I still think it's I wouldn't bet a hundred percent that the game is on.
How did the players’ vote (14‑8) to play the match affect team morale and the FAI’s stance?
I still think there's a potential for something to happen today, uh that players maybe slept on things overnight. And I think they're focusing very much on the reaction online. It's an online world now. All these guys are on social media. Uh I think some of them might have woken up to see the hero worship that that Gabin Bazuni was getting from from the world. I mean, this is a global story here. This isn't just Irish football, this is the nations league. uh a meaningless game in in group B of the Nations League, but it's a it's a global story. But um Gapin Bazunu was is making headlines in places that have never heard of the Nations League. And I think the other players will see the criticism that they're getting.
So I've no information that it's happened, but I think it's entirely possible that some players might have had particularly the ones who voted not to play um but but still agree to stay on like Gavin Bazunu that they may have had a change of heart overnight and that they may make a last minute decision to not play, which would then force the FAI into situation. Do they go through the game with with a very small squad or do they cut off the game so I'm still I'm expecting the game to to go ahead, but I wouldn't be uh I'm not hundred percent sure that the game is on.
Yeah, and it was interesting to see Heimer Helderson when he was asked yesterday about the players and how they were, he acknowledged, didn't he, that this is a social media world that we live in and they are absolutely not immune to the commentary that is online.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why is the Ireland‑Israel Nations League match being called a “global story” despite being a Group B game?
0:01–2:37
2
How did the players’ vote (14‑8) to play the match affect team morale and the FAI’s stance?
2:37–4:43
3
What impact did Gavin Bazunu’s last‑minute withdrawal have on the squad and the upcoming game?
4:43–6:35
4
Why are Irish fans being barred from attending the match in Hungary and how might that influence the atmosphere?
6:35–8:15
5
Will the Irish team wear black armbands and refuse handshakes, and what could that mean for on‑field tension?
8:15–10:11
6
How might the personal backgrounds of players like Finaz Az (Israeli heritage) shape their decisions about the match?
10:11–11:52
7
What are the potential repercussions for the FAI and the squad if the game proceeds without Bazunu?
11:52–13:54
8
What does the upcoming schedule (Austria, Serbia) mean for Ireland after the controversial Israel fixture?
13:54–15:14