Claudine Keane says family's safety is at risk after husband Robbie faced backlash

Claudine Keane says her family's safety is at risk in Ireland following the backlash her husband Robbie received for working in Israel.

The legendary Ireland footballer previously managed Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv. However, he attracted negative criticism from some people due to the ongoing conflict with Palestine.

Robbie managed the club for a year, which saw them win a league title and the Toto Cup.

Read more: Claudine Keane worries for eldest son Robert as he follows in Robbie's footsteps into football

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Now living back in Ireland, wife Claudine has responded to the trolling her husband has received over the years.

Taking to X, the mum-of-two wrote: "I would just like to remind a certain small group of individuals: my family, my children and I live in Ireland, this is our home. I feel extremely uncomfortable and sometimes intimidated by some messages again from a small group that are hurtful, threatening and dangerous.

"They not only genuinely put our safety and wellbeing as a family at risk, they are using a sportsperson as a political pawn and in doing so inciting hatred by making absolutely outrageous accusations."

Claudine added that "I always felt safe in Ireland until now" and she always wanted to move home to bring her sons, Robert and Hudson, up in Ireland.

She went on to criticise an unnamed politician, adding: "To see a politician say he should not be welcomed because he went to work in a country he does not like, before the war began and resigned from a job he loved and did well to protect us, his family in Ireland.

"None of us signed up to this situation that happened months into his role, it was a nightmare. Please stop this absolute witch hunt and consider that politicians should not get to tell you where you can and cannot work. Is the UK, America, Saudi ok? We all want peace."

Claudine apologised to her followers for the "long winded" message and concluded: "This is what years of a bully campaign and witch hunt feels like. It almost breaks you. To the logical people, thank you and to the others, you are picking on wrong person/family. Enough is enough.

"I would also say my children were in the Irish hotel during cap presentation. They are Irish citizens and play schoolboys and League of Ireland football. Are they too not welcome because of a manager's job their father resigned from? It's all totally hypocritical to say the least."

Robbie remains Ireland's most capped player and record goal scorer. He was invited by the FAI to attend the annual caps presentation to the current Ireland squad on Monday night.