Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson has pushed back against what he described as false narratives surrounding goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu's withdrawal from last weekend's Nations League fixture against Israel, insisting the squad remains united ahead of Thursday's home match with Austria.
Ireland, among the more vocal European nations in criticizing Israel's conduct in the Gaza war, have found themselves at the centre of political controversy surrounding their two-legged Nations League encounters with Israel. Public demonstrations calling for a boycott of the fixtures led Bazunu to opt out of both matches against the Israelis.
The first of those games went ahead last Sunday in Hungary, where Ireland secured a 3-0 victory after the majority of the squad voted, on the eve of the match, to play on despite the surrounding tension. Subsequent media reports suggested the vote had caused division within the camp, with claims that some teammates had directed insults at Bazunu over his stance.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Hallgrímsson dismissed much of that coverage as inaccurate.