Israel FA considering complaint against Heimir Hallgrímsson for use of word ‘genocide’

The Israel football association is considering a formal complaint to Uefa after comments made by the Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, according to reports in the Israeli media.During last week’s squad announcement in Abbotstown Hallgrímsson was asked a question about how difficult it would be to keep the players focused on football during the upcoming Nations League campaign. “We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide,” he responded. “We are playing against Israel; we are not playing with Israel.”In response, an Israel FA spokesperson said: “It is impossible for someone to say genocide against us and not respond to him.”READ MOREIt was later reported on Israeli sports websites that the association is considering lodging a complaint with Uefa.Uefa and the Israel FA have been approached to confirm if a complaint has been lodged against the Ireland manager or the FAI.Hallgrímsson also stood over a statement he made last year about being unable to understand why Russia were banned by Fifa and Uefa following the invasion of Ukraine, yet Israel have not been sanctioned for what has happened in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel travel to play Austria in Linz on Thursday in their opening Nations League fixture before their ‘home’ tie against Ireland on Sunday at Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary.International and European club games have not been held in Israel since October 2023 due to security concerns. The FAI moved Ireland’s home match against Israel on October 4th from Dublin to Backa Topola, a Serbian town near the Hungarian border, citing “operational challenges” that could “impact on the delivery of the game on home soil.”Even in this unusual international window, the Ireland side to face Kosovo in Pristina this Thursday is beginning to take shape.Injury to Harvey Vale before the QPR match against Preston North End on Saturday and Josh Cullen’s ongoing recovery from knee surgery has whittled down the midfield options to two from Jayson Molumby, Jason Knight and Conor Coventry.Molumby is not guaranteed his place at West Bromwich Albion but Hallgrímsson selected the Waterford man for the World Cup playoff against the Czech Republic last March.St Mirren’s Killian Phillips has been added to the group to cover for Vale and Jamie McGrath who both withdrew on Sunday evening. Knight could do a job at right wing back as Jake O’Brien recently made it clear to Everton manager David Moyes that he wants to play centre half.Alternatively, O’Brien could start wide right or James Abankwah’s impressive showing for Udinese in Serie A might be rewarded with a fifth cap.Bosun Lawal is named in the travelling party although he is not expected to feature against Kosovo or Israel having missed Stoke City’s last three games.Lawal is highly rated by Hallgrímsson so he could return against Austria at the Aviva Stadium on October 1st.Nathan Collins has a calf injury so Dara O’Shea will captain the team. John Egan’s return to the Premier League with Hull City presumably leaves one centre back role to be filled by O’Brien, Abankwah or Sheffield United’s English-born defender Liam Kitching.That is presuming Liam Scales starts at left wing back ahead of Ryan Manning or Joel Bagan. In attack, Finn Azaz and Chiedozie Ogbene are established behind Troy Parrott although Jack Moylan’s two goals for Cardiff against Charlton last Saturday and Owen Elding’s form since moving from Sligo Rovers to Hibernian give Hallgrímsson options.The Kosovo FA remain in direct conflict with their star player Amir Rrahmani with the Napoli defender retiring earlier this month until the leadership of the FKK step aside.Meanwhile, 170 athletes have now signed a letter sent by Irish Sport for Palestine to the Ireland squad, appealing directly to the players to boycott the Israel games.“This moment symbolises something deeper, it is bigger than sport,” stated the letter signed by Ciaran Mageean, Tony Ward, Dr David Hickey, Philly McMahon, Louise Quinn and others. “Not playing the game would be the most sporting thing you could do.”