Dara O'Shea says Ireland squad will discuss Israel fixtures on Friday

Dara O'Shea says the Republic of Ireland squad will meet on Friday to discuss their approach to the upcoming Israel fixtures, with players first concentrating on Thursday's match against Kosovo. Speaking amid calls for a boycott, the defender said the issue required a proper discussion in which each member of the squad could express an opinion, BBC Sport reported.

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O'Shea said the players had agreed earlier in the week to hold the conversation after the Kosovo game. Asked about pre-match formalities, he did not announce an agreed approach. Instead, he emphasised that the group needed to listen to one another and respect different views before reaching any collective position.

Asked whether a boycott would be discussed, O'Shea distinguished the players' conversation from the decision to fulfil the fixtures, which he said rested with the FAI, Uefa and the government. The Ipswich defender is set to captain Ireland in the absence of injured Nathan Collins. He also said players had tried to limit their exposure to social media while staying together as a squad.

The discussion comes after more than 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter urging a boycott, according to the Guardian. Protesters gathered outside Ireland's team hotel in Dublin on Monday. The first Israel match is scheduled for 27 September in Debrecen, Hungary, while Ireland's designated home fixture on 4 October has been moved from Dublin to Backa Topola in Serbia because of disruption and security concerns.

The Guardian reported that the FAI had previously asked Uefa to suspend Israel from international competition, but said refusing these fixtures could expose Ireland to sporting and financial sanctions. The association passed its suspension motion last November, before the current dispute surrounding the two Nations League games.

Irish prime minister Micheál Martin has also backed manager Heimir Hallgrímsson following criticism from Israel's football federation over his remarks about genocide in Gaza. Israel rejects that allegation. Hallgrímsson thanked supporters on Wednesday but acknowledged that the controversy had diverted attention from the Kosovo match, according to the Guardian.