Kim Hellberg said the ‘Spygate’ incident, which overshadowed his Middlesbrough team’s Championship play-off semi-final loss to Southampton, was “disgraceful” and “heartbreaking”.
A Southampton employee was reportedly caught trying to observe a Middlesbrough training session last Thursday.
After a goalless draw in the first leg on Saturday, Shea Charles’ winner in the 116th minute gave Saints a 2-1 aggregate win and a place in the play-off final at Wembley on Saturday 23 May.
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Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg match highlights between Southampton and Middlesbrough
“I’ve been a coach for 15 years to get to the Premier League. That’s been my dream for 15 years,” he told the post-match press conference.
“I know there are clubs with bigger resources or parachute payments that can spend more money, there are teams with bigger squads than us, teams that can spend more money.
“What we have as a coach and as a group is the tactical element of the game that allows us to beat our opponents. I think that’s what everyone loves about the game. That’s why I look at England and think that’s the home of football. That’s where I want to be and where I dream of being. You’re so proud of your football and I think that’s amazing. That’s why I wanted to be here.”
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Sky Sports News reporter Keith Downey revealed that Middlesbrough staff examined CCTV footage on Friday following allegations that Southampton staff had spied on training sessions.
“When you have more money and all that stuff, you try to find ways to take advantage. That’s the way I try to go with the team. That’s what you always try to do, because we can get better in that element.
“Alex Neil said very nice things after the (Millwall) game. He said, ‘I think we let people down because we didn’t win.’ That way he said he let people down. That’s often the feeling a coach gets home because I feel like what I can control is the tactical aspect of the game or helping the players more.
“Do that and be away from your family for a week or two leading up to this game and watch every game you can to get an advantage that we can really get. If we hadn’t caught that guy they spent five hours driving to, you would have sat there and said we did a good job on the tactical side of the game and I would have had to go home and help the players because I felt like I failed in that aspect.”
“When that gets taken away, when someone decides, ‘No, we’re not going to watch every game, instead we’re going to send someone in to film the session and watch everything and hope we don’t get caught.’ I think that’s why they changed clothes and all that stuff.
“It breaks my heart to think about all the things I believe in. That’s what it is.
“It doesn’t matter if there are different rules in different countries, England is where football is most important.
“That’s my feeling. I find it shameful. It makes me very sad.”
Asked whether he thought Tonda Eckert knew about the ‘espionage’ allegations, Helberg simply said, “I can’t answer. No comment.”
Eckert goes out again
Meanwhile, Southampton manager Tonda Eckert left Saturday’s post-match press conference after coming under pressure over ‘Spygate’.
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Southampton manager Tonda Eckert walked out of the first leg post-match press conference after refusing to answer ‘Spygate’ questions.
And he walked away once again when the second question of Tuesday night’s press conference was: “Are you a fraud?”
The reporter accompanying him quickly told the reporter to “show respect.”
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Southampton’s Tonda Eckert left the press conference early after being asked if she was a ‘cheat’ following the Saints’ ‘Spygate’ saga surrounding their play-off game against Middlesbrough.
What happens next?
The EFL recommended a disciplinary hearing before the final given the “nature of the matter” and despite Tuesday night’s result, anything could happen.
Southampton’s chief executive said in a statement on Tuesday he had asked for time to carry out an internal review, but a decision on the hearing will be made by an independent disciplinary committee.
Although there had been ‘spying’ before 2019, there were no explicit provisions against it at the time and Leeds was punished under the ‘good faith’ law. That law still exists, and there is now Rule 127, which prohibits spying within 72 hours of a game.
In that sense, this is the first time this law has been tested in practice, and all types of punishment are at the disposal of the Independent Disciplinary Committee.
Boro believe Southampton have clearly “cheated” and it is fair to say that the club wants the harshest, most sporting punishment possible. Mr Boro doesn’t think the fine will do much good.
Southampton have asked the EFL for more time to conduct an internal review.
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Boro manager Kim Helberg says he could not believe his eyes and ears after Southampton were accused of spying on the team.
Before Tuesday’s game, Southampton asked for time to carry out an internal review into the circumstances surrounding the ‘Spygate’ scandal.
The EFL charged the club on Friday, with the EFL asking the independent disciplinary committee to shorten the response period from the usual 14 days and hold a hearing “at the earliest opportunity”.
Southampton chief executive Phil Parsons said on the club’s official website: “The club is cooperating fully with the EFL and its disciplinary committee and is also conducting an internal review to ensure all facts and context are properly understood.”
“Given the intensity of the fixture schedule and the short turnaround time between games, we have requested time to complete the process thoroughly and responsibly.
“We understand the discussion and speculation that has followed in recent days, but we also believe it is important to establish the full context before drawing any conclusions.”
