Ireland players face Israel match dilemma as squad discusses ways to protest Gaza war

Ireland’s squad is considering gestures of solidarity with Palestinians as players wrestle with their opposition to the controversial fixture

Chiedozie Ogbene: 'If the game goes ahead, that does not mean we are best friends with Israel.' Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Three days after being torn apart by Kosovo, Ireland’s players will find their consciences torn when they face Israel on Sunday.

It has never reached a point where players were prepared to boycott these Uefa Nations League fixtures, scheduled seven days apart in two neutral countries.

Once the FAI confirmed their approach to being drawn with a nation found to have committed genocide was to switch the match, rather than stop it, the final stakeholder were the participants.

They were aware from July 8 when the FAI’s membership, known as the general assembly, backed the board’s vow to fulfil the fixtures that the pressure would be on them to take a stance.

They are unhappy at the situation they’ve been put in and that anger was apparent during a meeting they held yesterday.

Discussions had previously been undertaken individually with manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, while stand-in captain Dara O’Shea revealed this week that the lines of communication to the FAI hierarchy were active around this.

Finally, once the games rolled around, players assembled yesterday before their flight from Pristina to decide how they could convey their feelings.

It’s understood they’ve demanded to meet with chief executive David Courell as a matter of urgency, with a number of conditions laid out for involvement.

Debrecen’s Nagyerdei Stadion on Sunday will provide an eerie setting for a senior competitive international, the 20,000-seater stadium 80% unoccupied and, for once, only a handful of green jerseys among the ground.

They’ll be thinking of a different set of occupied people in the West Bank of Palestine when taking to the field.

Tension has already filled the air in the build-up through the Israelis taking offence to Hallgrímsson referencing genocide last week.

Their claims of hypocrisy, stupidity and ignorance towards the Ireland manager set the backdrop to a game the players don’t want to be involved in. Reactions from both camps on Saturday could elevate that friction to a crescendo.

Jason Knight became the first Irish player to opine that these pair of matches shouldn’t be proceeding. The comments provided too from Chiedozie Ogbene suggested a similar state of mind across the squad.

Yesterday’s meeting was designed to agree measures before or during Sunday’s match highlighting the plight of the Palestinian people.

That could include refusing to engage in the traditional pre-match handshakes with the Israelis.

Other gestures such as wearing attire featuring human rights messages have been floated.

The donation of match-fees to charities involved in helping victims of conflict is on the agenda too, a figure reaching six-figures when including the FAI’s contribution, but that alone, by mostly millionaire players, won’t spare them accusations of tokenism.

Ogbene did his best to distil the emotional quandary he’s been confronted with, feeling sympathetic towards the stricken of Gaza while fulfilling his duties as an international football.

By sharing a pitch with a team, many of whom have served within an Israel Defence Force reported to have murdered thousands of women and children, the Corkman insists they are not condoning their Government’s actions.

“We are all discussing it, so that says we do know what is happening,” reasoned the player currently on loan at Championship newcomers Lincoln City from Ipswich Town.

“If the game goes ahead, that does not mean we are best friends with Israel.

“It is the Israeli government who are making decisions.

“I am a practising Catholic. I have morals and don’t agree with what is happening.

“I feel sorry for the civilians. That is where my heart is; the people who are being affected.

“On the other side, I am a professional footballer. I love playing games and representing Ireland.

“My personal view is that Uefa have put us in this difficult position. They’re asking professional footballers to play but I do not have a degree.” Ogbene and his colleagues were eating dinner on Monday night at the opposite end of the Castleknock Hotel when around 50 protesters from the Stop The Game campaign broke through barriers to reach the entrance.

Though the noise wasn’t audible on that occasion, the winger from Grange is aware of the sentiment within his country. Hardline opponents to the matches have, in some regrettable cases, targeted the players online.

“Since my son was born a couple of years ago, I don’t look at social media as much,” explained the 29-year-old.

“I am really occupied with family time because there’s not enough time in my hand but I am not an idiot.

“I’ve seen some messages, fans have made their opinions heard, but I try not to read as much as I can.”