Ray Houghton: Ireland players deserve credit for playing Israel games nobody wanted

Houghton feels UEFA, the Irish government and the FAI should have taken the decision out of their hands long before the squad felt moved to conduct two votes on the eve of the first game in Hungary on whether or not to play Israel

TALKING REDS: Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association have announced 'Talking Reds' with Ray Houghton and Mark Lawrenson at Vicar Street on Monday, October 19. Pic: Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association.

Ray Houghton feels the Ireland players deserve credit for playing through adversity during ‘an international window nobody wanted’, with two highly contentious games against Israel overshadowing the taxing four-game schedule.

But he feels UEFA, the Irish government and the FAI should have taken the decision out of their hands long before the squad felt moved to conduct two votes on the eve of the first game in Hungary on whether or not to play Israel.

It is not a situation that Ireland legend Houghton ever found himself in during his time in a green jersey but as a former Liverpool player, he does recall the return to play dilemma facing the Reds dressing room in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

Reflecting on the last fortnight, Houghton said yesterday: “Personally, I felt it should have been dealt with earlier but they came through it and sometimes you have to play through adversity and the boys did as well as they probably could have done.

“There is no right and wrong. Some lads didn't want to play and I'd have every respect for them. Some lads wanted to play and I’ve every respect for that too, as it's their decision. As a country we didn't want to play but it's one of those things in life.”

Houghton continued: “It happened to me in ‘89 - I didn't want to play after the Hillsborough disaster. The families want you to do it for the memories of the people who have passed and sometimes you’ve got to do things that you don't really want to do.”

According to Houghton, the Liverpool players of the time never convened a group meeting to discuss their return to action. It felt so trivial after such a devastating tragedy that claimed 97 lives. Ultimately, the decision to play matches again was made by those above them.

“We weren't training,” he said. “Families with loved ones who had passed had come down to the ground and were sitting around with us, telling you the story about their brother, sister, aunt, uncle, whoever it was, telling you about their love and passion for the club. You're sitting there listening to them. It's not your time to talk.

“It's their time to pass on their emotions. We never had any counselling as players, we were just there to do what we could for the families. Then it was said that we were going to play. There was no asking us if we wanted to play or not. The families wanted us to play and we felt it was right for us to do that.

“You're trying to get back into football mode which wasn't easy as you're going home and seeing people down at the ground. People didn't stop coming to the ground, they kept coming and you're seeing all the flowers and things. It was still relevant in your mind what was going on. Sometimes you have to get through it.”

Ahead of an international window like no other, UEFA rejected an FAI request to keep Ireland and Israel separate in future draws, with European football’s governing body stating that the two countries have no history of direct conflict.

Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association have announced 'Talking Reds' with Ray Houghton and Mark Lawrenson at Vicar Street on Monday, October 19. Pic: Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association.

But after Sunday’s second game with Israel in Serbia, Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson called on UEFA to reconsider.

Houghton said: “Would UEFA listen? I don't know. It must have been a dreadful time for the players and there are no winners for me. The FAI or Government made a decision and you're there to do whatever you want - play, or don't play, like Gavin Bazunu.

“He's done what is right for him and I totally respect his decision. I don't know what the players' thoughts were but you have Finn Azaz there and I didn't know his family were Israeli, so how tough was that for him and his team-mates who know him and what he's been going through?

“These were games that nobody wanted to play and that was evident from quite a while back. The decision should have been made earlier on whether we were going to play or not. I don't think it was great leaving it to the last minute and putting it on the players.”

Houghton was joined in Dublin yesterday by his ex-Ireland and Liverpool team-mate Mark Lawrenson to launch ‘Talking Reds with Ray and Mark’ at Vicar Street on October 19, a major fundraiser for the Irish Professional Footballers Benevolent Association with tickets available on Ticketmaster.

A voluntary organisation, the IPFBA is dedicated to supporting former professional footballers in Ireland who are facing health, financial, or personal hardships after retiring from the game. To date, almost 60 ex-players have benefited from IPFBA’s work.