{"id":88977,"date":"2026-05-21T22:57:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T22:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/88977\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T22:57:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T22:57:13","slug":"spygate-drama-the-source-of-sleepless-nights-for-middlesbroughs-kim-hellberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/88977\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Spygate\u2019 drama the source of sleepless nights for Middlesbrough\u2019s Kim Hellberg"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Damian Spellman, Press Association<\/p>\n

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg admitted he has not slept for a week and a half as the \u2018Spygate\u2019 saga has rumbled on.<\/p>\n

The Teessiders\u2019 complaints that a member of the Southampton staff had breached EFL rules by observing training before the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-final between the clubs led to the Saints being excluded from the final this week, and Boro are now preparing for a game against Hull, which could yield a \u00a3200million reward.<\/p>\n

However, as Hellberg prepared for his first-ever trip to Wembley, he revealed the episode has taken its toll on him.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f Kim Hellberg on Saturday’s occasion:<\/p>\n

“It’s a special one because there have been so many ups and downs, but I’m proud of how we’ve handled it all as a team and as a club. We go there trying to win and will put all our energy into it.” pic.twitter.com\/P8kIfyeFfN<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) May 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Asked about his dreams of victory, he said: \u201cI don\u2019t sleep! I haven\u2019t slept for one and a half weeks, I think, so there are no dreams.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully, I get a good night\u2019s sleep today, and then I will tell you about the dreams tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hellberg briefly took time out after the semi-final exit to travel back to his native Sweden with his son to let off steam.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI took my son to Sweden to see a Hammarby game. It was a 4-1 win so it was very nice for me \u2013 watching a game, drinking beer, shouting at the referee from the stands.<\/p>\n

A League Arbitration Panel has today dismissed Southampton Football Club\u2019s appeal against the Independent Disciplinary Commission\u2019s decision in respect of breaches of EFL Regulations.<\/p>\n

As a result, the original sanction remains in force. Southampton\u2019s expulsion from the Sky Bet\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/K9yfvMyoc1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 EFL Communications (@EFL_Comms) May 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt gives you a bit of perspective on things and gave me some time with my son. I could think about something different.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u2018Spygate\u2019 case came to a head on Tuesday, when an independent commission ruled that Southampton should forfeit their place in the final and the men from the Riverside Stadium take it instead, with the Saints\u2019 subsequent appeal dismissed.<\/p>\n

Asked if he had any sympathy for Southampton, Hellberg said: \u201cIt\u2019s weird. Southampton is a big organisation with so many things involved in that.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I feel a lot of sympathy for supporters paying for tickets, having booked, thinking they\u2019re going to go to Wembley. For some players that were not involved and tried \u2013 there\u2019s a lot of sympathy for different things.<\/p>\n

\"Middlesbrough\u2019sHayden Hackney is facing a race against time to make the Middlesbrough squad at Wembley (Richard Sellers\/PA)<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of sympathy for our fans, for Hull supporters in terms of not knowing when to play the game. It\u2019s been a lot of sympathy for different things, and that is what this situation is about.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the issues Hellberg, who will give midfielder Hayden Hackney until the last minute to prove his fitness, must solve are the facts that 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.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cIt\u2019s 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\u2019s been back and forth. We tried to keep them here, but it\u2019s been impossible to train.\u201d<\/p>\n