‘Obviously the circumstances are difficult’ – Robbie Keane avoids politics as his Israeli side return to action

However the Dubliner has praised the angle of his Maccabi Tel Aviv gamers as they put together to tackle one other facet from a battle zone, Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk, within the Europa Convention League within the impartial venue of Poland.

Keane and his assistant supervisor, compatriot Rory Delap, fled Tel Aviv hours after the present battle started final month, with Keane overseeing operations remotely from his Dublin base whereas the majority of the squad remained in Israel. The panel attached in Poland on Sunday to organize for this Euro tie, performed in Lublin, Maccabi resuming European motion whereas the home league stays on maintain indefinitely because of the ongoing conflict.

Forward of their first recreation in 5 weeks, Keane didn’t take questions concerning the political scenario in Israel though his striker Erin Zahavi did say that Maccabi have been “representing all of Israel”.

“We at all times speak about soccer when it comes to ‘conflict’ and say ‘let’s struggle, let’s win’, however the actual conflict is in Israel. We left our households there, the individuals we love, our troopers are preventing there,” Zahavi mentioned.

Keane, who was criticised in Eire and additional afield for taking on the publish with an outfit which was labelled as as “racist and apartheid Israeli membership” by one Sinn Féin TD, caught to sport.

“Clearly the circumstances are troublesome, however as quickly as all of us got here again collectively it was like a couple of weeks in the past,” Keane mentioned at a press convention in Poland.

“It simply reveals the togetherness that the group has had since I arrived and it’ll at all times accompany us. I have been more than happy with the angle of everybody and their utility. To this point it has been week for us and I believe for everybody now, this recreation cannot come round fast sufficient.

“Clearly we have now been ready to see the gamers, we have now been involved with them in the previous few weeks, so much. They’ve skilled very properly, they’re in fine condition, that’s each participant. The temper in the previous few days is excellent. That is the essence of a group, what a group is all about, when individuals actually need to play for one another.”