Ireland press conference and training to go ahead after meetings about Israel fixture

This morning's media event was postponed with 15 minutes' notice. 

Team bus parked outside the Republic of Ireland team hotel in Debrecen, Hungary. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Extraordinary events unfolded in Debrecen on Saturday morning with the FAI postponing their pre-conference for the Israel game with just 15 minutes' notice.

The press conference will now take place at 2.30pm Irish time with training scheduled for 2.45pm. 

The development arises from a long meeting between players and management. 

As first reported in the Irish Examiner on Friday night, anger has grown among the Irish squad at the position they’ve been placed in about these pair of Uefa Nations League matches, seven days apart, against a country found guilty of genocide in Palestine by an independent UN commission. Israel are due to host Ireland first on Sunday at 8.45pm.

Friday’s meeting of the players proved to be lively, concluding with an agreement to seek talks with the FAI hierarchy. It’s understood a number of conditions have been sought by the squad around protocols and they believe it is the duty of the organisation’s decision-makers on proceeding with the games who should be facing the media glare.

A press conference due to begin at 10.15 local time in Hungary was postponed with 15 minutes' notice to both the press and Uefa. Federations that don’t comply with scheduled press schedules are subject to sanctions such as fine.

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It remains to be seen if a player joins manager Heimir Hallgrímsson or, as has been mooted, a press statement is released on their behalf.

More to follow….