Nathan Collins found missing Israel fixtures stressful

Republic of Ireland captain Nathan Collins said missing his team's controversial Nations League games against Israel due to a calf injury left him feeling like he abandoned his teammates. The fixtures were surrounded by protests over the Israel-Gaza war and required players to vote on whether to play. Now back in the squad ahead of a match away against Austria, the defender reflected on the stress of following the events online. He believes the squad has bonded strongly through the challenges and is fully focused on returning to on-pitch action.