Hull City sporting director Jared Dublin says the potential delay to the Championship play-off final is “not a good look for football” but insists the club won’t use it as an excuse should they fail to make it to the Premier League.
The EFL announced yesterday that an Independent Disciplinary Commission would sit on Tuesday to discuss allegations a Southampton staff member spied on a Middlesbrough training session prior to the teams’ play-off semi-final, first leg last Saturday.
Southampton won the second leg 2-1 after extra-time to go through 2-1 on aggregate but there is no guarantee they will take their place at Wembley with expulsion one potential punishment available to the Commission.
There is also the chance the final will be put back from its original date of Saturday, May 23 to allow for more considerations and a potential appeal.
It leaves Hull, who beat Millwall in their semi-final, in a difficult position, not knowing if the game will go ahead on the scheduled date and, if so, against who.
Hull preparing to face Southampton, as scheduled
Dublin says the club are preparing to face Southampton a week on Saturday but admits it is not ideal.
He told Hull Live: “No, not a good look for football, not a good look for the EFL for sure, unfortunately. At this moment in time, we’re preparing for Southampton, that’s all we can do.
“We don’t want to go to Wembley with any excuses on this, that, distraction, noise, so the message to the players, the message to the staff is, we’re preparing for Southampton at Wembley and see what comes.
“We’ll let the distractions be over Middlesbrough and Southampton; we don’t want any in our house. All the players I spoke to yesterday [Thursday] at the canteen, and the gaffer as well, the message was that we’re preparing for Southampton, that’s what we’re doing until we’re told otherwise.”
Other Championship clubs are believed to have aired their complaints over the Saints potentially spying on them but Hull have no such concerns after beating the South Coast club home and away this season.
He added: “No, to be honest, I’m not aware of anything. I was asked this previously. I’m not aware of any spying that’s happened for us, and at the end of the day, we talk on the pitch, and when the whistle gets blown, that’s when we’re looking to make an impact. Spying, not spying, what’s happened in the past is the past. We’re focused on the following Saturday.”
