Republic of Ireland's Hallgrimsson says Israel rematch 'not going to be a friendly' after Solomon's 'country 10 times better' jibe; game moved to empty stadium

Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson emphasized that the rematch against Israel is 'not going to be a friendly' after Israel captain Manor Solomon claimed his team has 'a country 10 times better.' This follows Ireland's 3-0 victory last week in Debrecen.¹²⁶

The match, originally scheduled as Ireland's second home game in Group B3, was moved to the TSC Arena in Backa Topola due to ongoing protests against the Football Association of Ireland's (FAI) decision to fulfill the fixtures. Hallgrimsson noted the challenge of playing in an empty stadium, contrasting it with the previous match's atmosphere of 45,000 supporters.⁵⁸

“It will be different, going from playing in front of 45,000 supporters to an empty stadium,” Hallgrimsson stated, highlighting the need for his players to adapt. The absence of fans is a significant change, especially after the 2-2 draw with Austria at the Aviva Stadium.

The match has also been overshadowed by the 'Stop The Game' campaign, which has called for Ireland to withdraw from the fixtures. Protests have included interruptions during games, with players voting to proceed with the match despite the controversy. Hallgrimsson remarked, “Everything about this is strange,” reflecting on the unusual circumstances surrounding the international window.⁷

With the stakes high, Hallgrimsson is focused on ensuring his team is ready for the challenge ahead, stating, “It is going to be tricky and challenging for the players to be ready for Israel.”