Timeline on an Irish footballing controversy not seen since Saipan
BLURRED LINES: Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson and FAI CEO David Courell at the now infamous press conference at the Nagyerdei Stadion, in Debrecen, Hungary. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Following defeat in Kosovo, Ireland captain Dara O’Shea reiterates plans for a player meeting to be held the following day. The sole item on the agenda is the players’ approach to playing on Sunday against Israel.
“We haven't come together yet,” he said. “It's an important matter and we must understand the feelings of many people in this strange situation.”
The meeting of players proves lengthy, extending for a number of hours. What was intended to be finished in time for their flight from Pristina to Debrecen at 2.30pm extended to the point of delaying their departure. Views were expressed by players about the backlash of facing Israel. FAI officials were invited into the meeting at times to answer queries on the potential repercussions of a boycott. Anger at how the players had been left to address media scrutiny was palpable and so a number of conditions were laid out before full agreement to participate.
These included suspending player media activity for the remaining three games of the window and declining the traditional pre-match handshakes with opponents. Emerging from the meeting before take-off, it was agreed that all players would participate but a statement confirming their basis of doing so would be released later.
After a statement is drafted, all players are requested to approve the wording. Some minor amendments were made but the substantive bullet points remained intact. All the players, bar one, gave their blessing to the statement. Gavin Bazunu remained in his room and asked to sleep on it.
Plans to release the statement and fulfil the customary match day minus-one events of the press conference and subsequent training at the Nagyerdei Stadion are torn asunder. Bazunu seeks a meeting with Heimir Hallgrímsson, at which he informs the manager he is withdrawing from the Israel games. He’s not prepared to put his name to the statement and his reservations over facing Israel are emboldened by the sight of Sayed Abu Farkhi celebrating his goal against Austria on Thursday with a gesture perceived as being firing a gun.
Given O’Shea had proclaimed their intention to act ‘as one’, Bazunu’s decision prompts another meeting of players. Emotion is rife within the room at the Mercure Hotel and some players are annoyed at Bazunu’s late U-turn. Two, in particular, were particularly vocal in their criticisms but others, such as Troy Parrott, supported the goalkeeper’s right to exclude himself.
Simultaneously, journalists at the match venue awaiting the arrival of the manager and player for media activities at 10.15am are informed of a delay with just 15 minutes notice. It was said the press conference would now take place after training but some enquiries by media through sources establish that neither activity will be starting anytime within the foreseeable. Uefa’s media liaison officer admits she was alerted by the FAI at the same time, placing her into unchartered territory in her career. Federations that don’t fulfil their media commitments, as scheduled, are liable to be sanctioned.
Media decide to relocate to the team hotel, a 15-minute taxi ride downtown. Once the pack arrive, they are refused entry by FAI security staff who erect a cordon of ropes within the vicinity of the entrance. At this stage, another meeting of the players – without Bazunu – is underway. Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, chief executive David Courell and director of football John Martin dip into the meetings at various times but Bazunu’s strike action has swayed the minds of others who were previously amenable to participating.
Players go into recess occasionally, getting in contact with their families and agents to seek counsel about their quandary. Finn Azaz, who has Israeli grandparents, offers his opinion on the situation, providing some background on the situation in Gaza and Israel.
After what one player described as ‘going around in circles’, and the window for training at the stadium being squeezed due to Israel’s 6pm slot, the decision is made to hold a vote.
Well, actually two votes. The first was to gauge the mood of the players and the second a full vote on whether to proceed with Sunday’s match. Both ballots of the 23 players returned identical results: 15 in favour, eight against. Accordingly, the press conference is confirmed for 3.45pm, only a 15 minute session before the new time for training of 4pm.
: Instead of a player accompanying the manager on the podium, he is joined by Courell and Martin – an unprecedented arrangement around a football fixture. Courell begins with a statement while, at the same time, a short email lands confirming Sunday’s match as going ahead.
The press conference lasts a half-hour, during which it is gleaned that neither Hallgrímsson nor the FAI sought an opinion from Bazunu in advance of this international window about his appetite for the Israel games. The manager said he only contacted outfield players while the FAI said Bazunu didn’t meet the criteria they applied to seeking the views of 30 of his colleagues.
Irish players emerge onto the pitch for training with only two goalkeepers.
Israel hold their own press conference, beginning with a sarcastic note about punctuality. They stated that ‘football had won’ despite those ‘who want to intimidate, to separate, and turn the football pitch into a political arena’. Vice-captain Dor Peretz said he would be offering handshakes to the Irish players despite their stated refusal to engage in the traditional pre-match gesture.
Back at the team hotel, the conversation returns to football, but not before Bazunu is apologised to by one of the players who unloaded his ire on him earlier.
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