Heimir Hallgrimsson is opposed to boycotting his Republic of Ireland side's two Nations League fixtures with Israel, as he does not wish to gift them six points.
The Boys in Green are set to face Israel in two Nations League games this autumn, with a game at a neutral venue set to take place on on 27 September, followed by the home leg in Dublin on 4 October.
Protests took place at Thursday's friendly game against Qatar, with supporters throwing tennis balls onto the field at different intervals during the first half. They oppose the national side taking on a team which represents a state which, according to an independent UN commission, has committed genocide against the Palestinian people.
It leaves plenty of questions as to where Ireland's home game will be played, and whether supporters will be allowed to attend if it goes ahead.
"I think there's every chance," was Stephen Kelly's response when asked on RTÉ Sport's coverage of the game whether he felt, in the context of the protest, there was a likelihood of the Dublin game going behind closed doors.
"No one can be forced to do anything here, no one has to do anything. Us, as a nation, us, as a governing body for football, don't have to do it (play the game).
"You reap the sanctions you get if you don't do it. They're saying they have to perform because they'll be penalised for it (if they don't), but how do they have to do it?
"As it goes on it's (protests) going to get louder, it's going to get more. As a country, as a whole, most people are objecting against this game happening because of the context of things."
But for Hallgrimsson, there's a fear of what might happen if Ireland refuse to play the two fixtures.
"I don't think we should boycott the game," he said, also reiterating his previous assertion that moving the home game from Dublin to a neutral venue would disadvantage the Irish team.
"It would cost us probably that we would be relegated to (League) C. Future national teams would suffer but most of all we're giving them gifts.
"We're giving them six points and 6-0 in goal difference and they (Israel) would most likely win the Nations League group if we do that.
"It's tough not to win the group with that and they would have easier access to come and play in the (Euro 2028) finals in Ireland."
Despite the FAI insisting that the fixtures will be fulfilled to avoid sanctions from UEFA, pressure is growing on the organisation.
A motion proposed by the Professional Footballers' Association Ireland (PFAI), Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP), CK United, Cork City and Bohemian FC has been sent to the 145-member General Assembly, calling on the FAI to "refuse to participate in the two scheduled fixtures against Israel later this year on both legal and moral grounds".
Hallgrimsson underlined that his remit falls solely within the parameters of the sporting side of the debate and that he and the team would have to abide by decisions made at a governing body level.
"I'm here to think about the football side. I'm just saying this is the football side but the feelings of the people we do understand and respect," he said.
"And if the decision is made from higher than we have to accept that. But we are football players, football coaches.
"This is from a political level and those who are in governments and stuff that should take these decisions, we are a part of UEFA and FIFA, so we need to go by their rules that they set.
"That is our job and we are not better if we break the rules ourselves. You need to go by the rules that are set there."
However, in the scenario that a member of the senior squad were to come forward to say that they would be unwilling to take the field against Israel, Hallgrimsson said: "We would respect the opinion of the player and the decision of the player."
With nearly three months still to go until Ireland are due to play Israel, this is an issue that will likely go on and on for the players, the manager and the FAI.
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