Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg has confessed that the ‘Spygate’ controversy has cost him sleep, forcing him to take his young son to a Hammarby match in Stockholm to escape the mounting pressure. The Swede, who took charge at the Riverside Stadium last summer, has been embroiled in a bitter row over alleged unauthorised observation of an opponent’s training session earlier this season. The affair has dominated headlines and left Hellberg questioning the toll on his mental health.
“I haven���t slept properly for weeks,” Hellberg told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Championship play-off final against Coventry City. “I took my son to see Hammarby just to get away from it all. He doesn’t understand why Daddy is so stressed. Football is supposed to be joy, not this.” The 42-year-old has not commented on the specifics of the allegations, but the EFL is understood to have launched an investigation into the incident, which Boro have declined to discuss publicly.
Middlesbrough finished fourth in the Championship table with 85 points, securing a play-off spot after a late-season surge. They face Coventry, who ended the regular season in fifth, in a winner-takes-all final at Wembley. Hellberg’s side will be without injured midfielder Hayden Hackney (hamstring) and defender Darragh Lenihan (knee), though striker Emmanuel Latte Lath is expected to start after recovering from a minor ankle issue.
The ‘Spygate’ saga has drawn comparisons to the 2019 Leeds United-Marcelo Bielsa episode, though Hellberg insists the context is different. “I’ve never spied on anyone. I respect the game too much,” he said. “But the noise has been unbearable. My family has suffered. If we win on Sunday, perhaps people will remember the football, not the nonsense.” Coventry boss Mark Robins declined to comment on the controversy, saying only: “We focus on our own preparation.”
Promotion to the Premier League is estimated to be worth at least £170 million to the winning club through broadcast revenue and commercial deals. For Middlesbrough, who last played in the top flight in 2017, the stakes could not be higher. Hellberg’s contract includes a promotion bonus, but he admits that personal peace is now his priority. “I want to win for the fans, for the club, and for my son. He deserves to see his dad smile again,” he added.