Claudine Keane, wife of former Republic of Ireland footballer Robbie Keane, has spoken out about her family's safety concerns, following a wave of online abuse targeting her husband after his involvement with Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Keane, a former captain of both Ireland and Tottenham Hotspur, resigned from his role as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv in June of this year, after a year in charge of the club.

The former player faced criticism from Irish people after being invited to present caps to players at an international training camp for the Republic of Ireland national team.

In a heartfelt post on social media, Claudine Keane said: “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.”

She continued, “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. I always felt safe in Ireland until now.”

The Keanes’ distress comes in the wake of increasing tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has fuelled a rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric online.

Keane, who managed Maccabi Tel Aviv for just over a year, led the club to the Israeli league title earlier this year before leaving in June.

The Irish striker’s departure followed the escalation of violence in the region, with Keane and his family being evacuated from Israel during the conflict in October. 

This week’s abuse follows a particularly violent incident in Amsterdam, where Maccabi fans were attacked, prompting widespread condemnation from Dutch and Israeli officials for its anti-Semitic nature. 

The violence and unrest have left Keane at the centre of a political storm, with some social media users lashing out at him personally. He has been branded with offensive slurs, including “blood money Robbie” and “Zionist rat.”

Claudine, who is also a former model and columnist, stressed the emotional toll these attacks have taken on her family. “They are using a sportsperson as a political pawn and in doing so, inciting hatred by making absolutely outrageous accusations. We love our country; we are not politicians; we have never done any wrong. None of us signed up to this situation that happened months into his role, it was a nightmare. Please stop this absolute witch hunt,” she wrote, urging others to separate politics from sport and to consider the human impact of their words.

She also pointed out the contradiction in attacking her family while they continue to live in Ireland, saying, “My children were in the Irish hotel during the cap presentation. They are Irish citizens, and they 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.”

Claudine’s post concluded with a call for compassion and understanding, asking for the online hostility to end. “It almost breaks you. To the logical people, thank you, and to the others, you are picking on the wrong person/family. Enough is enough.”