Jubilant Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic claimed the Southampton ‘Spygate’ affair would have been dismissed as a joke in his native Balkans instead of erupting into a national scandal.
‘When I first heard about it, I just had to laugh,’ said Jakirovic after his Tigers won 1-0 at Wembley, with a stoppage time goal by Oli McBurnie finally sinking Middlesbrough, who had been handed a reprieve when Saints were expelled from the play-offs for spying on the team they beat in the semi-finals.
‘What can you spy?’ he asked. ‘I am here for the first time in my life, and I know everything there is to know about the Championship because it’s my job. I started to laugh. In my country, it would be “ha ha ha” and nothing would happen. But here I see it is too serious. Big noise.’
Jakirovic, a former Bosnia-Herzegovina international who spent much of his career in Croatia before arriving in East Yorkshire last summer, said he did a tactical session on Tuesday in preparation for a final against Southampton only to find later in the day they had been replaced by Boro.
Hull’s owner Acun Ilicali threatened legal action if they were beaten.
‘You opened Pandora’s Box, but this should finish it,’ said Jakirovic. ‘Most important that we won.’
Hull’s victorious boss Sergej Jakirovic says Southampton Spygate scandal IS a laughing matter
Southampton’s spying intern was caught filming a Middlesbrough training session before their play-off semi-final
Ilicali called it ‘the best day of my life’ and messages of congratulations landed in the dressing from former Hull stars Andy Robertson, Harry Maguire and Dean Windass. McBurnie was this year’s hero just days after being omitted from Scotland’s World Cup squad.
‘He is a true leader,’ said Jakirovic, who signed the centre-forward on a free on the eve of the season, with Hull unable to pay a fee because of a transfer embargo. ‘You can see opponents fear him because of what he is capable of doing.
‘Nineteen goals and a lot of assists and a target when we are struggling. He has a very big influence on our game. I think he has scored more goals than the rest of the strikers in the Scotland squad, but that is the responsibility of national team coach, so I respect it. I am happy he is not at the World Cup because he can rest.’
Boro boss Kim Hellberg was devastated. His team were top in February, faded but lost in the play-off semi-finals, only to be reinstated when Southampton were expelled for breaking the rules, only to lose in stoppage time at Wembley.
‘Two heartbreaking losses in two weeks is very draining,’ said Hellberg. ‘The game ends and you feel very empty. Disappointed, sad for everyone, flat.
‘It is the toughest two weeks I’ve been through with emotions and the back-and-forth, and the reaction of the supporters and the hard work of everyone at the club. It’s been emotionally draining but no excuses. Hull scored a goal and you have to congratulate them.’
