The Championship play-off final between Hull City and Southampton could be postponed after the Saints were charged by the EFL over allegedly spying on their semi-final opponents, Middlesbrough
Acun Ilcal has given his verdict on Spygate(Image: Beyza Comert/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has accused those responsible for Spygate of putting ‘evil’ into the football world. The Tigers are currently due face Southampton in the Championship play-off final at Wembley next Saturday, but the richest game in football is at risk of being postponed.
The Saints have been charged by the EFL after it emerged that one of their analysts had spied on Middlesbrough’s training session ahead of their semi-final first leg. Southampton could be kicked out of the play-offs as a result, although an appeal process may force the final to be pushed back to a later date.
While Middlesbrough’s players and staff have delayed their summer holidays and will return to training on Monday, Hull chief Ilicali has given his verdict. “I don’t know what the officials will decide,” Ilicali told talkSPORT.
“I don’t want to make any statements because it’s something that is being investigated. We don’t know who is involved or who is responsible. At this time, it’s better for me not to comment.”
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Asked how he’d feel if someone spied on Hull, the Turkish owner replied: “I would be furious. If everything is completely true and there is zero doubt, I would be furious.
“And I would ask this question: How many times has it happened before. I would be very, very angry, of course, if everything is so solid. As a person, I don’t understand why people do things like that.
“I always run for justice in my life. But you see many things in life that surprises you, and on this I am surprised too. I know the owners of Southampton – they are good people and I am sure this is nothing to do with them.
“But whoever is involved on the technical side, I do not know. Whoever is involved, I think, put the evil in the football world this week.”
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On whether Southampton should face explosion from the play-offs, Ilicali admitted: “I’m not sure. For example, what happens in a game if someone dives to help their side win a trophy? In football, there are sometimes these kind of things.
“The punishment, what it should be, it’s hard to know without a clear mind. But in football, you can dive to win a penalty and get a penalty. Or hand of god, for example, some cheating happen in football sometimes.
“Whether they should be punished, and how they should be punished, it’s hard for me to comment because, at the end of the day, they will probably be our opponent and I don’t want to speak negatively about our opponent.”
Despite holding off on ticket sales for the final, Hull know that they’ll eventually go to Wembley and vie for a spot in the Premier League, having dramatically made the play-offs on the final day. “It’s one game – a big game for us,” Ilicali, who purchased the club in 2022, added.
“If we win, we’re going to be in the Premier League, and that’s our dream. When you see our team, you see a very united team, everyone is dying for this game and the fans are very hungry.
“These games are 50-50 games and crucial moments will decide. I think whether it’s Southampton or Middlesbrough, it’s 50-50 and we have every chance. If you asked me before which I’d like, I could not tell you because they are not superior to each other.”
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