Hull City make play-off final vow as Southampton await Spygate fate
Sporting director Jared Dublin says Hull City will not use the uncertainty over "Spygate" as an excuse as they focus fully on facing Southampton on May 23, safe in the knowledge the bulk of their preparation if they were to face Middlesbrough is already done.
Hull qualified for the Championship play-off final by winning 2-0 at Millwall on Monday but who they will face may not be decided until the middle of next week.
Southampton defeated Middlesbrough in extra-time of Tuesday’s second other semi-final but are facing Football League charges which could lead to their expulsion from the competition after allegations they spied on a Boro training session two days before the first leg.
The Football League (EFL) has announced an independent disciplinary commission will hear the case "on or before May 19" with a decision "as soon as possible following consideration of the relevant submissions and evidence."
"We are preparing to face Southampton a week on Saturday, that is our target and we're doing all of our match prep around that eventuality," stressed Dublin.
"If it were to change we will change our course of preparation but right now the message to the fans, the players and the staff is that we are fully focussed on Southampton being our opponent unless told otherwise.
"Until we have something definitive we'll prepare around Wembley on Saturday and Southampton being the opposition.
"I spoke to the staff on Thursday about it and we don't want to have any excuses so that if for some reason we don't get a positive result we'll blame X, Y or Z. We want to give it our best effort.
"If we are told something different in terms of date or opposition, we'll pivot."
If they do have to “pivot”, Dublin says they have already done plenty of homework on Middlesbrough, who they played twice in November – losing 4-1 at home, but responding with a 1-0 victory at the Riverside.
"Since the second leg against Millwall we've been on double time to make sure we're prepared but a lot of the work has been done on both scenarios," he added.
"It's frustrating and disappointing but we're not letting it change the atmosphere in the building or the focus from the staff.
"We're going with a positive mindset and we're going as a coaching staff with a lot on our plate to be prepared for all eventualities."
It has been suggested Boro are trying to gather evidence of Southampton potentially spying on other clubs to strengthen their case, but Dublin says he is not aware of Hull's training having been watched.
"I've not spoken to anyone else because it's none of my business but I don't believe we've been spied upon," he said.
"The spying thing, if people have done things previously, I'm not really focussed on the past, whether we were spied upon or this and that, it's not really for me."
The League told supporters: "As the proceedings are being conducted by an independent disciplinary commission, the EFL does not control the proposed timetable.
"Notwithstanding this, the EFL continues to plan on the basis that the Championship play-off final will take place as scheduled on Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time confirmed as 4.30pm.
"Supporters should, however, be aware that the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings may yet result in changes to the fixture."
The League are being squeezed from both sides with supporters of the three clubs involved – particularly the two Yorkshire clubs as the ones with furthest to travel – needing to make arrangements, and a World Cup in June.
Hull's Amir Hadziemoetovic (Bosnia Herzegovina) and Yu Hirakawa (Japan) are hoping to be involved.
The League says it is working with clubs to get tickets on sale "as soon as practicable".