Although Bazunu pulled out of the matches against Israel, midfielder Finn Azaz was also absent from both fixtures, albeit for separate reasons.
The 26-year-old has Israeli family ties through his mother, and the Republic of Ireland manager believed this placed him in a difficult position after the squad chose to wear black armbands and lower their heads during Israel’s national anthem in both matches.
Azaz delivered an impressive performance in Thursday’s 2-2 home draw with Austria, but after considering the circumstances, Hallgrimsson said: “I did not think he was prepared for the match against Israel.
“Finn completed the full 90 minutes against Austria and picked up a minor injury, while the situation has also taken a mental toll on him. I simply did not believe he was ready to play.
“Of everyone involved, he was probably dealing with the hardest circumstances. He deserves considerable praise for remaining with the squad and demonstrating his commitment to the team.
“Wearing black armbands was difficult for him, as was our decision to lower our heads while the Israeli national anthem was played.
“The experience placed greater pressure on him than on anyone else, so I decided it was better not to select him.”
Despite the challenges Azaz faced, the Republic of Ireland manager said he could only “hope so” when asked whether the Southampton midfielder would continue his international career.
“There is no indication that he intends to step away. His presence here shows me that he remains committed to us and wants to represent the team at the 2028 European Championship finals.
“He has already demonstrated his ability and importance to the team on the field.”
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