Ireland's football team faces a difficult week ahead of its return to the Aviva Stadium, with The Irish Times reporting that players are preparing for an emotional reaction from supporters. The paper's writer Gavin Cooney says the coming days will be long ones as the squad braces for how fans respond at the Dublin venue.
The mood around Irish football has been shaped by the team's recent Nations League fixture against Israel. According to the BBC, there were no handshakes between the players before that match.
The fallout has moved into politics. RTÉ.ie reports that Ruth Coppinger has called for the FAI board to resign, while the Irish Independent reports that Opposition parties have urged the same. The Taoiseach defended the Government's position on the games, telling the Irish Independent that "it doesn't matter to Israel" — a remark carried in the paper's coverage of the dispute.
Writing in The Irish Times, Fintan O'Toole argued that Ireland had taken a stand toward Israel and then left it to 26 footballers to carry that position through. His column is one of several pieces examining the pressure placed on the players.
What to watch next: whether the FAI board responds to the calls for its resignation, and how the Aviva Stadium crowd receives the team.
