Irish PM backs football manager after Israel FA criticism

Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin defended his country's football manager Heimir Hallgrimsson on Tuesday following Israel's Football Association (FA) criticism. The FA accused Hallgrimsson of "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy" over remarks he made before two Nations League matches against Israel, describing them as "unacceptable."

Martin, attending the UN General Assembly in New York, stated that Hallgrimsson's comments were unacceptable and should be withdrawn. The Irish manager had said, "We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel." Martin acknowledged Hallgrimsson's concerns about the death and destruction in Gaza, citing remarks by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The dispute has sparked widespread controversy in Ireland, with over 160 sportspeople signing an open letter calling for the national team to boycott the matches. The Football Association of Ireland had previously requested UEFA to suspend Israel from international competition, but their request was not supported by European football chiefs.

The FAI has indicated it has little choice but to proceed with the fixtures or face sanctions. The matches, originally scheduled for September 27 and October 4, will now be played at neutral venues in Debrecen, Hungary and Serbia.