‘Covid loves you more than you will know’: Ireland fans serenade vaccine-refusing star, but some fellow supporters unhappy (VIDEO)

Some football fans have cried foul after a host of traveling Irish supporters sang a song in reference to vaccine-hesitant Irish international Callum Robinson ahead of the team's clash with Azerbaijan in Baku.

Irish supporters have traditionally been heralded as among the most fun-loving in all of Europe and with the small band of fans who have arrived in the Azeri capital representing the country's first away representatives since the onset of the Covid-19 vaccine, the visitors have - as always - been ingratiating themselves with the local taverns.

Much of the conversation will have been centered around vaccine-hesitant forward Callum Robinson. The West Brom player was the subject of a mini media frenzy in the Emerald Isle this week after he disclosed to an eager gaggle of reporters that he had not yet received the vaccine against Covid-19, despite having contracted the virus on two separate occasions. 

It is a stance which recent reports indicated is being echoed across various Premier League dressing rooms - but with Ireland being among the most vaccinated per capita countries in the world, Robinson's reticence wasn't received well.  

The topic dominated afternoon phone-in shows, with one notable media personality giddily declaring that Robinson has more Covid infections (2) than goals for the national team (1), but more on that particular statistic later, and dominated the local Twittersphere with some backing his freedom of choice and others bemoaning his subscription to a 'conspiracy theory'.

Of course, then came the unfortunate comments from Ireland boss Stephen Kenny in which he described Robinson's personality as "infectious".

And as such, the traveling Irish supporters had their own say in the only way they know how. 

"Here's to you Callum Robinson, Covid loves you more than you will know," they sang, to the tune of Simon & Garfunkel's 'Mrs Robinson'.

Some, though, weren't having it.

"I am becoming super sensitive in my old age?" asked sports reporter Con Murphy. "Given so many people here have died from this virus, and many others are suffering terribly from long Covid, is this not the most horrible chant from Irish fans in quite some time?"

"You are being super sensitive Con and being unfair to fans who are having fun and meaning no harm. Pile on on the way. Well done," came one reply.

"The chant itself is not very funny but it's only being sung due to recent reporting on his stance on Covid vaccines. Otherwise it would never have been thought up. No malice intended. It is what it is. A drunken chant," added another. 

As sometimes happen in situations like this, Robinson re-inserted himself into the conversation by firing home a powerful effort early in the game to give Ireland a 1-0 lead against Azerbaijan - before running to the Irish supporters and plugging his ears with his fingers as if to silence a media storm he had accidentally waded in to.

"Callum Robinson takes his shot without, eh, hesitancy. Plugs his fingers in his ears in celebration," wrote reporter Gavin Cooney of the goal.

"Callum Robinson had no issue taking the shot there," said another.

Continuing his riposte to his critics, Robinson then added a second goal six minutes before half-time to put Ireland firmly in control of the match at the break, as they eyed a first win of their Group A qualifying campaign.