END-OF-SEASON friendlies are often dull, lifeless affairs, but rarely has an Ireland match felt so secondary to matters off the field as tonight’s fixture with Qatar.
Even an early headed winning goal from Nathan Collins via Jack Moylan’s pinpoint delivery could not prevent a strange atmosphere at the Aviva.
Tennis balls rained down on the pitch around the 10th and 20th minutes, with a couple more randomly appearing throughout the first half.
At least two Palestinian flags were unveiled, as an increased security presence was swiftly deployed in the area where most of the balls were being thrown.
There were shades of 2019, when a similar barrage of tennis balls appeared at the Aviva to protest the FAI’s decision to offer ex-chief executive John Delaney a newly created executive vice president role.
The stoppages seemed to influence the players’ on-field behaviour, as the match started to feel increasingly inconsequential and uneventful, before Moylan was harshly sent off following a collision with Qatar’s Jassem Gaber on the brink of half-time.
Yet that controversial call was overshadowed by what had taken place earlier.
The build-up to the Qatar fixture was dominated by talk surrounding Ireland’s upcoming matches with Israel.
Captain Nathan Collins had said the players “trust the FAI and the Government” to make the right decision, adding: “If individuals wanted to take a stand, we are not going to stand against them.”
Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson insisted: “We are not the bad guys,” while urging support for the team rather than protests.
Seamus Coleman said questions over the Israel game “should not have landed on our toes” and that he “knows the difference between right and wrong” on the issue.
The 37-year-old added: “We represent our people, the people of Ireland, so we’ve got to take that into account, of what their opinion is on it as well.”
Tonight, many fans starkly outlined their opposition to the forthcoming fixture scheduled for Dublin.
The tennis balls featured a ‘stop the game’ message.
In contrast, both the government and the Football Association have called for the match to go ahead.
FAI CEO David Courell has rejected suggestions Ireland should boycott the Israel clash, claiming the governing body had “no choice” and could face “serious consequences” if the team chose to participate.
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Conversely, a ‘Stop The Game’ campaign launched by Irish Sport For Palestine has pointed “clear and ongoing serious breaches of Uefa and Fifa statute regarding Israeli teams playing on occupied Palestinian lands” and “a brutal system of apartheid and genocide, both of which are accepted by the Irish government”.
Former Ireland international James McClean was among those to speak out, accusing the FAI of lacking “backbone” on the issue.
Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland chair and Shamrock Rovers captain Roberto Lopes is another player who has made his feelings known, arguing:
“As players and fans, our natural instinct is always to get out there and compete, but this is a moment where we need to look at the bigger picture.
“We can’t ignore the humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine; the sheer loss of life there has to take precedence over any sporting consideration.”
And in a PFAI survey, 63% of participants said Ireland should not fulfil the fixtures against Israel in the Nations League.
There is one somewhat comparable situation to the Israel dilemma.
However, the organisation only made the decision under considerable pressure.
Russia had been due to play a World Cup play-off against Poland, until a Robert Lewandowski-backed boycott was arranged.
Player power forced Fifa’s hand and ensured the game would not go ahead.
Poland’s stance was backed by several countries, whereas it seems unlikely that Ireland would receive similar support given that Israel continue to play international football regularly despite the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
As recently as last October, Hallgrímsson himself said: “I don’t see the difference in Fifa and Uefa banning Russia and not Israel.”
All these statements suggest that, while Irish players will not necessarily boycott the forthcoming match, there is a considerable reluctance on their part to participate.
In addition, there is a genuine sense of anger among a significant portion of the footballing public at the prospect of these games going ahead.
And if that anger is palpable now, it is only likely to intensify in four months when the first of the two Israel games is due to take place.
So far, Ireland’s footballing and political authorities have attempted to ride out the storm.
But tonight’s protests served as a reminder that the problem and pressure on them to act won’t be going away anytime soon.
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Tennis ball protests increase pressure on authorities to act on Israel game
END-OF-SEASON friendlies are often dull, lifeless affairs, but rarely has an Ireland match felt so secondary to matters off the field as tonight’s fixture with Qatar.
Even an early headed winning goal from Nathan Collins via Jack Moylan’s pinpoint delivery could not prevent a strange atmosphere at the Aviva.
Tennis balls rained down on the pitch around the 10th and 20th minutes, with a couple more randomly appearing throughout the first half.
At least two Palestinian flags were unveiled, as an increased security presence was swiftly deployed in the area where most of the balls were being thrown.
There were shades of 2019, when a similar barrage of tennis balls appeared at the Aviva to protest the FAI’s decision to offer ex-chief executive John Delaney a newly created executive vice president role.
The stoppages seemed to influence the players’ on-field behaviour, as the match started to feel increasingly inconsequential and uneventful, before Moylan was harshly sent off following a collision with Qatar’s Jassem Gaber on the brink of half-time.
Yet that controversial call was overshadowed by what had taken place earlier.
The build-up to the Qatar fixture was dominated by talk surrounding Ireland’s upcoming matches with Israel.
Captain Nathan Collins had said the players “trust the FAI and the Government” to make the right decision, adding: “If individuals wanted to take a stand, we are not going to stand against them.”
Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson insisted: “We are not the bad guys,” while urging support for the team rather than protests.
Seamus Coleman said questions over the Israel game “should not have landed on our toes” and that he “knows the difference between right and wrong” on the issue.
The 37-year-old added: “We represent our people, the people of Ireland, so we’ve got to take that into account, of what their opinion is on it as well.”
Tonight, many fans starkly outlined their opposition to the forthcoming fixture scheduled for Dublin.
The tennis balls featured a ‘stop the game’ message.
In contrast, both the government and the Football Association have called for the match to go ahead.
FAI CEO David Courell has rejected suggestions Ireland should boycott the Israel clash, claiming the governing body had “no choice” and could face “serious consequences” if the team chose to participate.
Conversely, a ‘Stop The Game’ campaign launched by Irish Sport For Palestine has pointed “clear and ongoing serious breaches of Uefa and Fifa statute regarding Israeli teams playing on occupied Palestinian lands” and “a brutal system of apartheid and genocide, both of which are accepted by the Irish government”.
Former Ireland international James McClean was among those to speak out, accusing the FAI of lacking “backbone” on the issue.
Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland chair and Shamrock Rovers captain Roberto Lopes is another player who has made his feelings known, arguing:
“As players and fans, our natural instinct is always to get out there and compete, but this is a moment where we need to look at the bigger picture.
“We can’t ignore the humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine; the sheer loss of life there has to take precedence over any sporting consideration.”
And in a PFAI survey, 63% of participants said Ireland should not fulfil the fixtures against Israel in the Nations League.
There is one somewhat comparable situation to the Israel dilemma.
In 2022, Fifa and Uefa suspended Russia from international football as a result of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, the organisation only made the decision under considerable pressure.
Russia had been due to play a World Cup play-off against Poland, until a Robert Lewandowski-backed boycott was arranged.
Player power forced Fifa’s hand and ensured the game would not go ahead.
Poland’s stance was backed by several countries, whereas it seems unlikely that Ireland would receive similar support given that Israel continue to play international football regularly despite the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
As recently as last October, Hallgrímsson himself said: “I don’t see the difference in Fifa and Uefa banning Russia and not Israel.”
All these statements suggest that, while Irish players will not necessarily boycott the forthcoming match, there is a considerable reluctance on their part to participate.
In addition, there is a genuine sense of anger among a significant portion of the footballing public at the prospect of these games going ahead.
And if that anger is palpable now, it is only likely to intensify in four months when the first of the two Israel games is due to take place.
So far, Ireland’s footballing and political authorities have attempted to ride out the storm.
But tonight’s protests served as a reminder that the problem and pressure on them to act won’t be going away anytime soon.
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Friendly Heimir Hallgrímsson Soccer talking point Ireland Republic Qatar