Israel FA accuses Hallgrimsson of 'ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity'

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hallgrimsson's side is due to play Israel twice

The Israel FA has accused Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson of "ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity" in comments made last week.

During his squad announcement for the upcoming Nations League games which include two fixtures against Israel on 27 September and 4 October, Hallgrimsson said: "We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel," when the subject of keeping his players focused on the games was raised.

On Monday, Israel's football body hit back on those comments on social media, saying: "We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way.

"Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by @IrelandFootball team coach. We're not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we're playing against the coach who embodies them."

The Football Association of Ireland has not responded to the Israel FA's comments, with a protest also taking place at the Republic of Ireland team's hotel on Monday evening as pressure to boycott the fixtures continues to build.

The armed Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza. The United Nations believes the retaliation has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians.

Israel has regularly denied committing genocide or war crimes and has said its actions in Gaza have been justified as a means of self-defence.

More than 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter by the Irish Sport for Palestine Group to urge a boycott of the games against Israel.

The Republic of Ireland are due to play Israel on 27 September in Hungary before the reverse fixture in Serbia on 4 October.

The letter states that the FAI, Uefa and the Irish government should have intervened before this stage, but there is still time to "show the power of sport to unite".

Sportspeople such as Olympian Ciara Mageean, former Republic of Ireland footballer Louise Quinn, ex-Ireland rugby fly-half Tony Ward - who boycotted an Irish rugby tour of South Africa - and boxers Tyrone McKenna and Eric Donovan have signed the letter.

Also included in the 160 plus names are GAA's Padraig O'Hora, Joe Brolly, Colm O'Rourke, Michael Darragh Macauley, Philly McMahon, Valerie Mulcahy and Rena Buckley, as well as para-athlete Alan Dineen and ultimate frisbee's Stephen Jones, who both boycotted fixtures against Israel earlier this year.

"This is a significant moment and with this moment you have an opportunity to do the right thing," the letter states.

"Putting on the Irish jersey and representing your country means something. But the Ireland we want represented is the one that remembers its roots in anti-colonial and anti-imperial resistance, which Irish sport played a large part of.

"This moment symbolises something deeper, it is bigger than sport. But in a way this IS sport.

"Not playing the game would be the most sporting thing you could do. Through your leadership and courage, it would show the power of sport to unite, remind us of the shared values that connect us all, and have an impact far beyond the game."

Uefa rejected request to keep Republic of Ireland and Israel separate - FAI

Published3 days agoRepublic of Ireland braced for testing Nations League

Published15 hours agoHallgrimsson spoke to players individually about Israel games

Published4 days agoIn July, the FAI's General Assembly endorsed a motion for the Republic of Ireland to go ahead with their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Israel with 75 votes to 32 against and three abstentions from the 114 delegates.

The FAI had previously said boycotting the games would cause "significant and lasting harm" to Irish football as well as leading to a potential loss of 10.3m euros (£9m).

The fixture has caused much controversy with Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson adding that he spoke to players in his squad individually about the prospect of facing Israel, and "none of us feel comfortable playing in these games".

The Nations League games mark the Republic of Ireland's first competitive action since their World Cup play-off semi-final heartbreak against the Czech Republic in March.

Since the penalty shootout loss in Prague, they have played four friendlies, beating Grenada and Qatar and drawing with North Macedonia and Canada.

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Nicola McCarthy explains the Republic of Ireland's double-header with Israel

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