Nathan Collins describes strain of missing Ireland’s Israel fixtures through injury

Republic of Ireland captain Nathan Collins has described the strain of being absent through injury while his team-mates dealt with controversy surrounding their Nations League matches against Israel. According to BBC Sport, the Brentford defender said being away from the squad left him feeling he had been unable to provide the support he wanted to offer as captain.

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A calf problem kept Collins out of the four-match international window across September and October. Ireland lost 1-0 away to Kosovo before beating Israel 3-0 in Debrecen, Hungary. They then drew 2-2 at home to Austria and 1-1 with Israel in Serbia. Collins has now returned to the squad and addressed his absence while speaking ahead of Ireland’s trip to Austria.

The first Israel fixture was uncertain on the day before the match, BBC Sport reported. Training was delayed while Ireland’s players voted on whether to take part amid protests over the Israel-Gaza war. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu made himself unavailable for selection. Collins was not with the group as it dealt with those decisions, with his injury having ruled him out of the window.

Collins said following events online made the experience particularly difficult. He described the distance from the squad as potentially more stressful than being present and said he felt he had left his team-mates to face the situation without him. His comments focused on the frustration of being unable to be involved and support the players during that period.

Despite those difficulties, Collins said he believed the squad had become closer. He described players as comfortable with one another and said nobody appeared to be withdrawing from the group. In his account, the shared experience had strengthened their bond, with the players eager to turn their attention back to football.

Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson also confirmed that Seamus Coleman, included in the 24-player squad in a hybrid role, would not be considered for selection against Austria. He did not rule out Coleman appearing against Kosovo, explaining that five players were one booking from suspension. Ireland are third in Nations League Group B3, with those two fixtures remaining.