Middlesbrough FC v Hull City: Why Kim Hellberg and Sergej Jakirovic's 'secrets' will be fair ones

MERCIFULLY, the ‘secrets’ Kim Hellberg tries to conceal do not involve sending a young intern almost 300 miles to the other end of the country to clandestinely spy on an opponent.

The Middlesbrough head coach is one of the good guys, like his Hull City counterpart Sergej Jakirovic.

Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg speaks to the media during a pre-final press conference at Rockliffe Park Training Ground, Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough have been reinstated to the play-offs and set to take Southampton's place in Saturday's final against Hull. Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-offs after admitting to spying on opponents. Picture: Andy Commins/PA Wire.

placeholder image — Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg speaks to the media during a pre-final press conference at Rockliffe Park Training Ground, Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough have been reinstated to the play-offs and set to take Southampton's place in Saturday's final against Hull. Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-offs after admitting to spying on opponents. Picture: Andy Commins/PA Wire.

The pair spoke after the EFL awards night in April. Hellberg's message was 'We'll see you in the play-offs.'

Neither could have possibly envisaged their two clubs being thrust together in such a way after the shameful events of Spygate 2.0.

MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND - MAY 09: Fans of Middlesbrough display a tifo and a banner which reads "Ten years on take us back where we belong" prior to the Sky Bet Championship Play Off Semi Final Second Leg match between Middlesbrough and Southampton at Riverside Stadium on May 09, 2026 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Ed Sykes/Getty Images)

In their short time working in England, Hellberg and Jakirovic have shown tactical flexibility and an ability to tailor game plans accordingly.

Without recourse to cheating. That's why Hellberg was so 'heartbroken' after his side's semi-final second leg at Southampton amid a furore which has rocked football.

The thought of being tactically outflanked would have floored the Swede, who said: "If we hadn't caught that man they sent up five hours to drive (before the first leg), you would sit there and say well done in the tactical aspect of the game and I would go home and feel like I've failed.”

Today's coaching fight will be an honest and fair one between two sharp minds.

Jakirovic was widely lauded for his switch to a back three in his side's semi-final second leg at Millwall.

In the fixture between Hull and Boro last December, it was Hellberg, an ex-teacher, who outwitted the Bosnian.

His line-up prompted head-scratching beforehand among seasoned Boro scribes in a bold line-up minus a defensive midfielder and with one player, Alex Gilbert, handed a first league start in over 18 months.

A 4-2-2-2 formation went onto bamboozle Hull, who were 4-0 down at half-time on their own patch.

It adds to the fascination ahead of a final hitherto besmirched by Southampton.

Hellberg may have Hayden Hackney back, but will be without his most important forward in Tommy Conway. What will he come up with? What will Jakirovic have up his sleeve? The right kind of secrets, for sure.

Hellberg, who employed Luke Ayling as a deep-lying midfielder to police Finn Azaz in the semi-final first leg versus Saints - Adilson Malanda played in a similar position against Sheffield Wednesday last month - said: "I have secrets all the time. You have to try to put players in situations that suit us in the best way.

"I think, to be fair, some of the players have played in different positions and (with) how they move – depending on what we want out of the game and how we want to find the principles and be the team we want to be.

"That means you have to switch and move depending on what suits the players you have and the opposition. There’ll be new things, as always."

With Boro's fates in limbo last weekend amid a bewildering time on Teesside, Hellberg took some brief time out and went home to Sweden.

Football still called. Along with his son, he watched old club Hammarby in action where he was 'drinking beer and shouting at the referee from the stands'. After the Machiavellian events of the previous week, it must have felt relatively normal and pure.

Normality ahead of this game only arrived on Thursday when his players had their first intense training day after Southampton's appeal against their final expulsion was thrown out. Minds were scrambled before then.

"The first day I felt like there's a game to play. It was impossible to do it before," Hellberg remarked.

On his first visit to Wembley, he hopes his post-match beverage will be a victory one, capping six months filled with incredible highs and lows.

Four intoxicating wins at the start of his tenure, followed by a near eight-hour goal drought, set the tone. Four goals in 22 minutes came next.

What about today? Answers on a postcard. Will toothless or terrific Boro turn up?

Hellberg said: "It's been ups and downs, a rollercoaster and a 'welcome to England' that's been special.

"They told me I have some chapters in my book about this year to write later on..."

On whether this will be the most emotional game of his career to date, more especially given a crazy build-up, he continued: "There's been some emotional games, to be fair, lately.

"But as a Swedish boy coming to coach at Wembley, this is a massive thing. I have a better answer after the game."