The problem is that it's hard to penalize the country for what some fools do in the streets. It's something else when it's done in the stadium.
And yes, many others have done bad things (not irish supporters though (I believe you're talking about the Northern Irish)), but unlike Russia, it has at once been condemned. In Russia there are politicians talking about the hooligans defending Russia's honour (including a member of the executive board of the Russian football association). It's not us destroying their reputition, they do themselves, when they apparently think hooligans are a part of the game!
And no, the players have nothing to do with them, and it would without doubt be sad if they were not to keep on playing because of some fools, but sadly something has to be done.