Heimir Hallgrimsson has stated that the Republic of Ireland's next game against Israel is not intended to be a friendly match.
This declaration follows comments made by the Israeli side after their previous encounter in Hungary last week.
The team faced pressure regarding potential boycotts of the Nations League fixtures due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza.
Despite these external pressures, the squad did not observe standard pre-match formalities before taking the field in Debrecen.
Players bowed their heads during the playing of the Israeli national anthem rather than engaging in traditional warm-up rituals.
During the first half of Thursday's contest, play was briefly halted by a tennis ball protest and an individual entering the pitch.
Hallgrimsson expressed hope that the players would feel more appreciated following these events.