Ireland squad votes by 'significant majority' to play Israel Nations League fixture

A "significant majority" of Republic of Ireland players have voted to play their team’s Nations League fixture against Israel, said Football Association of Ireland (FAI) CEO David Courell on Saturday.

Courell told a press conference that a vote was held among the Ireland squad after one player asked to withdraw from the team, prompting a meeting between the FAI and the players.

“A significant majority” of the players voted to play the Sunday match against Israel, Courell said.

Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson confirmed that the player had subsequently withdrawn from the squad.

“This morning was just a change of mind for one of the players,” he said.

He added that the situation had left players and officials uncomfortable as they sought to balance personal considerations with the interests of the Irish national team.

“Nobody is comfortable at the moment,” Hallgrimsson said. “It’s about limiting the advantage both personally and also for Irish football, that we need to find some solution.”

“There’s no action we do that everyone will agree to,” he added.