Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg blasts Southampton for 'weird' incident | OneFootball

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg feels that each Championship side should be as aggrieved as they are at Southampton's conduct

Middlesbrough and Southampton's play-off semi-final first leg lacked fireworks on the pitch, but that was more than made up for off the field.

The EFL charged the Saints in the lead-up to Saturday's meeting at the Riverside with an alleged spying incident at Boro's training session on Thursday.

The ruling states that clubs are forbidden from observing, or attempting to observe, another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match, a regulation which was implemented in the wake of a similar incident involving Leeds United and Derby County in 2019.

Ultimately, with the incident occurring so close to a vital play-off game, no punishment has been outlined just yet, and that led to plenty of frosty encounters on Saturday.

Kim Hellberg and Tonda Eckert exchanged what can only be described as a cold handshake before and after the game, and following the game, the Southampton boss walked out on his post-match press conference after a barrage of questions came his way about the incident.

Meanwhile, Hellberg was open about his feelings towards the case.

Kim Hellberg believes Middlesbrough's frustration should be reflected across the entire Championship

Speaking after the game on Saturday, per the Yorkshire Post, Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg said, "You don't do this. It's a rule, and you don't plan to do this. You have a disguise and all those things. You don't do that.

"I think it's not just us. I think every team in the Championship should be angry because who knows?

"I've seen some talking about how it's not a big advantage because you can see the games on film, but it's a massive advantage."

In the wake of the initial spying incident in 2019, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa called an out-of-the-blue press conference to outline that his staff had spied on every one of their opponents before they were caught by Derby.

Therefore, with this being the first incident that Southampton have been caught out on, there's the scope to believe that this may not be the only time that a Saints analyst has been present for opposition training sessions this season.

That's what Hellberg believes, and he seemingly harbours the potential disappointment of his fellow managers regarding the situation.

When asked about what kind of punishment he expects Southampton to be given, he answered, "To be fair, we'll see what happens. I cannot answer that.

"I just think it's weird that they do that and try to cheat in this type of game," he added.

Southampton's brilliance in 2026 may come into question following spying allegations

Southampton won many admirers in 2026 due to their incredible rise up the Championship table and the deep run they made in the FA Cup.

They ended the campaign on a 19-game unbeaten run in the league, and the only loss in 23 games in all competitions came in the FA Cup semi-finals against Manchester City — a game in which they led. That run also saw them beat Premier League leaders Arsenal and Fulham away from home.

Tonda Eckert was the winner of three straight second-tier Manager of the Month awards from February to April, and at just 33 years old, was being labelled as one of the most exciting managers in England.

And while these allegations won't completely diminish that hard work on the field and the impressive run they've been on, it may have a little asterisk to it, especially if it's found out that Middlesbrough aren't the only victims of this.

Granted, Southampton will still do their due diligence and prepare through legal means, too, and the majority of their approach will come through that. The aforementioned press conference from Marcelo Bielsa included an hour-long analysis breakdown of how Leeds set up for games, irrespective of their spying.

But, especially in this play-off situation, where teams can spring a few surprises and hold their cards close to their chests — Boro were especially unclear about whether Hayden Hackney was fit enough to play a part — it can give an unfair advantage.

Time will tell as to what punishment will come Southampton's way if found guilty, but for now, all eyes are on Tuesday night's second leg and who can progress to the play-off final at Wembley.