Spygate: Middlesbrough boss Kim Helberg happy with chance for Championship play-off at Wembley

Helberg He spoke emotionally after Boro’s defeat in the second leg of the semi-final About spending time away from his family watching hours of video in the build-up to the play-offs at St Mary’s, when he believed Southampton had cut corners in a way that challenged football’s integrity.

But after a rollercoaster seven days in which he said his emotions were all over the place and included a break in his native Sweden, he was out for dinner with his young family when he learned he would lead his team to Wembley.

“Try to balance how much time you can give the players but have them ready to come,” he said.

“It was good to give them as much time off as possible and try to do other things for them, so you just don’t think about it, look forward to it, talk about it. But it was very, very difficult.”

After a day of sorting out travel arrangements and tickets for family members, Thursday was the first clear day to focus on the task at hand against the Tigers.

But Hellberg says his team will be ready despite this chaotic and unprecedented preparation.

“There are no excuses for us,” he added. “We think we’ll be ready.

“Saturday’s game going forward, that’s what everyone wants. That’s what’s best for English football in general. That’s what we’ll do.”