OTB Daily

FAI president Paul Cooke faces the media after Ireland’s Nations League game with Israel — and Off The Ball Breakfast plays his full, combative exchange in full.

Cooke insists the decision to fulfil the fixture was “football democracy”, hits out at the coverage around the camp, and is repeatedly pressed on sanctions, player consultation and what would’ve happened if the squad had voted not to play.

Matthew Brennan and Dara Smith-Naughton dig into the messy fallout: the Gavin Bazunu situation, the divisiveness of a player vote, the lack of clear FAI leadership, and how much damage this week may have done to the team’s bond with the public.
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Catch The Off The Ball Breakfast show LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app.
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Irish boxer Gráinne Walsh joins on the show Colm Boohig, Matthew Brennan & Enda Coll to react to Ireland’s success at the European Boxing Championships.
Off The Ball Breakfast LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am with Amazon.ie, Irish brands at local prices. Start your search at our dedicated and curated ‘Brands of Ireland’ section!
Catch The Off The Ball Breakfast show LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app.
SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/join
Off The Ball Breakfast is live weekday mornings from 7:30am across Off The Ball

Two people who witnessed a chaotic, unprecedented weekend for Irish football join Colm Boohig & Enda Coll; OTB's Ben Symes and John Fallon of the Irish Examiner, speaking from Hungary after Ireland’s Nations League match against Israel.

They react to FAI president Paul Cook’s combative post-match comments, the reported player vote on whether to fulfil the fixture, and the sense of a split camp — with eight players believed to have voted against playing.

The lads also describe the eerie atmosphere inside the near-empty stadium, the pre-match protests, and disturbing reports of racist chanting.

Plus: what happens next with Gavin Bazunu, and what to expect in Dublin on Thursday.
With Amazon.ie, Irish brands at local prices. Start your search at our dedicated and curated ‘Brands of Ireland’ section
Catch The Off The Ball Breakfast show LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app.
SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/join
Off The Ball Breakfast is live weekday mornings from 7:30am across Off The Ball

Orla McElroy and Paul O'Hehir join John Duggan for the Sunday Paper Review to break down a momentous day in Irish football as goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu boycotted Ireland's Nations League fixture against Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza. The panel criticizes the FAI board and UEFA for a total absence of leadership that left young players exposed to intense political fallout and internal dressing room splits.
Enjoy a short snippet of today's Sunday Paper Review.
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The Sunday Paper Review on Off The Ball

John Duggan and Robbie Dowling go through the mornings sports news in Sunday's Newsround. Also, we hear from our reporter Ben Symes who's on the ground in Debrecen after a tumultuous 24 hours surrounding the Ireland vs Israel nations league fixture.