SPY CLUB
While the FA’s Independent Disciplinary Commission’s investigation into the Southampton spying scandal is likely to be scrupulously impartial, Football Daily couldn’t help but wonder if assorted EFL blazers might have been pogoing in celebration to the post-punk stylings of Middlesbrough anthem Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag when Riley McGree fired his club in front at St Mary’s on Tuesday night. Unwittingly embroiled in an administrative mess that could scarcely be more absurd or ridiculous, a Boro win would have gone a long way towards helping the EFL temporarily sweep spygate under the rug. As luck would have it, Southampton came back to win the tie, so the options of just hitting them with a whacking great fine and/or points deduction should they be found guilty of espionage are no longer the only ones on the table. As things stand, Tonda Eckert’s team are off to play Hull City in a Wembley playoff final worth a gazillion pounds, but if Football Daily was Robbie Mustoe, Phil Stamp or any other Middlesbrough player, we wouldn’t be jetting off on our summer holidays just yet.
Since the spygate story broke last week, Southampton’s response has been to issue club statements that say little or nothing and plead for more time to get to the bottom of an unedifying matter that doesn’t seem even remotely complicated. They have neither admitted nor denied illegally spying on a Boro training session, but have repeatedly shoved their young head coach into hails of bullets under clear instructions not to discuss the only subject reporters are interested in asking him about. His latest press conference shut down abruptly when a crestfallen Eckert was advised to leave the room by a media handler after a journalist asked: “Are you a cheat?” One feels that whatever the answer to the question, the 33-year-old German must be seriously considering his position. “I will say something, but I just cannot say it now,” he told journalists minutes before his exit. “When the investigation is closed I will say something.”
Earlier, Eckert had to be stopped from getting all up in the grill of his opposite number, as he and Kim Hellberg received a touchline ticking-off for exchanging unpleasantries after Luke Ayling had reported Taylor Harwood-Bellis to the referee for allegedly mocking his speech impediment. Speaking after the defeat, Hellberg once again insisted that any rancour he harbours over spygate does not extend to Southampton’s players or the club’s blameless fans. “I think that it’s disgraceful,” he yelped of the palaver. “It makes me very sad. If we hadn’t caught that person, I would be sitting here thinking I should have done better things.” With this sorry but admittedly entertaining saga far from over, Boro may yet get an afternoon at Wembley. Or possibly their day in court.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join Michael Butler at 8pm (BST) for updates on Manchester City 2-0 Crystal Palace, while Simon Burnton will be on hand at the same time with a clockwatch on a night when Hearts could only go and win the Scottish title.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Good afternoon, I regret to inform you that I’m not going to resign … I’m going to finish the bad people … leave the internal enemies to me … it would be bad to say I am the best president in history, but I am” – just a taster of Real Madrid chief suit Florentino Pérez’s mind-blowing rant at Valdebebas. Read Sid Lowe’s take on it here.
Rochdale fans will no doubt be breathing a sigh of relief that Slavia Prague’s ultras (yesterday’s Football Daily breakout section, full email edition) have pinched their most ill-advised pitch invasion of the season award” – Jim Hearson.
The soccer cards aren’t in ‘very random places’ (yesterday’s Memory Lane, full email edition), they’re ordered by players’ surnames. Be disappointing if 1,056 others have pointed this out! The cards also include several players who didn’t actually make the squad and one, Paul Madeley, who turned a place down” – lan Burgess (and, oh yes, 1,056 others).
What does ‘jib off’ mean?” – John Leftwich.
If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Jim Hearson. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Join Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning and the Football Weekly pod squad as they discuss if the USA USA USA is ready for the Geopolitics World Cup.
