Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg has revealed he has not slept for a week and a half amid the ongoing 'Spygate' controversy, which saw Southampton excluded from the Championship play-off final after an independent commission ruled they breached EFL rules by observing Boro's training before the semi-final second leg.
The Teessiders' complaint led to the Saints being removed from the final, with Boro now set to face Hull City at Wembley in a match that could yield a £200 million reward. However, the saga has taken a heavy toll on Hellberg, who admitted the stress has left him unable to rest.
Asked about his dreams of victory, Hellberg said: “I don’t sleep! I haven’t slept for one and a half weeks, I think, so there are no dreams. Hopefully, I get a good night’s sleep today, and then I will tell you about the dreams tomorrow.”
After the semi-final exit, Hellberg briefly escaped to his native Sweden with his son to clear his head. He said: “I took my son to Sweden to see a Hammarby game. It was a 4-1 win so it was very nice for me – watching a game, drinking beer, shouting at the referee from the stands. It gives you a bit of perspective on things and gave me some time with my son. I could think about something different.”
Spygate Fallout
The 'Spygate' case culminated on Tuesday when an independent commission ruled Southampton should forfeit their place in the final, with Boro taking their spot. The Saints' subsequent appeal was dismissed. Hellberg expressed mixed feelings about the situation, saying: “It’s weird. Southampton is a big organisation with so many things involved. Of course, I feel a lot of sympathy for supporters paying for tickets, having booked, thinking they’re going to go to Wembley. For some players that were not involved and tried – there’s a lot of sympathy for different things.”
He added: “There’s a lot of sympathy for our fans, for Hull supporters in terms of not knowing when to play the game. It’s been a lot of sympathy for different things, and that is what this situation is about. It’s been weird for a lot of different teams and supporters, ups and downs that are not fair to them, but it also comes from the decision they have made. So, yes, I have a lot of sympathy for a lot of different people.”
Preparation Challenges
Hellberg faces additional hurdles as his players have had minimal training since the second leg of the Southampton tie and are still dealing with the psychological impact of that defeat. He said: “It’s very difficult to know (where the players are mentally) to be fair. After the Southampton game away from home with all the things that come with that, it was very tough. Then it’s been back and forth. We tried to keep them here, but it’s been impossible to train.”
Midfielder Hayden Hackney is also racing against time to prove his fitness for the final, with Hellberg set to give him until the last minute to recover.
