Finn Azaz Benched in Ireland's Win Over Israel Amidst Controversy

Despite being a key player on paper, Finn Azaz did not play in Ireland's 3-0 victory against Israel in the UEFA Nations League. Azaz, who had reportedly convinced his teammates to proceed with the match, was one of four players left out of the starting lineup. Irish manager Stephen Kenny stated Azaz was deployed in a different position than the rest of the squad, attributing his exclusion to tactical decisions. However, Irish media suggested fatigue was a factor, noting Azaz ran 11 kilometers in Ireland's previous match against Kosovo. With Ireland leading 3-0 by the 25th minute, the team reportedly had no need to utilize an attacking player like Azaz, with other players like Chiedozie Ogbene and John Egan also not featuring. This exclusion follows a pattern, as Azaz also did not play in Ireland's first match against Portugal last October, though he played the full 90 minutes in their subsequent win against Armenia. He has scored only one goal in 15 senior appearances for Ireland. Irish journalist Daniel McDonnell claimed Kenny only cited tactical reasons after pressure from Israeli media. Prior to the game, Azaz reportedly shared with teammates that his maternal grandmother was a commander in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and presented the Israeli perspective on the conflict, a move described as challenging given potential ingrained opposition to Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Reports in Ireland later suggested Azaz was considering retiring from the national team after the current international window.