Have a listen to the post match interview with the Boro boss
He basically framed it as a key potential competitive advantage. As a club like Boro, you're often outgunned when it comes to player budget, and hence at a structural disadvantage. You do have the scope though to overcome that by being tactically amazing. Doing things your opponent didnt expect to counter their approach, nullify their key talent, exploit their defensive weaknesses, do specifically tailored things at set pieces they havent seen you do before. That sort of thing.
If you spy on your opponent in the run up to the game, you potentially get to view all those things ahead of time. Those innovations you might adopt for that game versus that opponent are no longer a surprise to you. You dont have to see them in the game itself and adapt on the fly, you get plenty of notice to cover them in training.
He basically described it as the key things managers do to be successful, and by spying you take away that source of competitive advantage.
Obviously he has every incentive to overstate the importance of all of the above - but I listened to it and thought it was at the very least a credible point.
Posted By: Under soil heating on May 13th 2026 at 13:30:22
Message Thread
- Spygate (Other Football) - Firstnews, May 13, 13:00:18
- I personally think they should be booted from the play offs (Other Football) - Charles21, May 13, 14:35:52
- When asked directly ‘are you a cheat?’ (Other Football) - jamesward, May 13, 14:42:13
- Exactly, no comment interview - guilty as charged guv (n/m) (Other Football) - Charles21, May 13, 14:43:22
- no comment (n/m) (Other Football) - Jumbo1, May 13, 14:55:33
- Exactly, no comment interview - guilty as charged guv (n/m) (Other Football) - Charles21, May 13, 14:43:22
- When asked directly ‘are you a cheat?’ (Other Football) - jamesward, May 13, 14:42:13
- I really don't see why its such a big thing. Its obviously a bit shitty but what were they (Other Football) - megson, May 13, 13:07:02
- The thing is, it's an official rule now that they have breached (Other Football) - tim berry, May 13, 14:01:41
- One of their best players has been injured since mid-March with no news on return (Other Football) - Henclrikus, May 13, 13:36:49
- Not really, no (Other Football) - Charles21, May 13, 14:33:09
- Have a listen to the post match interview with the Boro boss (Other Football) - Under soil heating, May 13, 13:30:22
- Well they (or at least the spy involved) clearly thought that it could be beneficial (n/m) (Other Football) - Legacy Fan, May 13, 13:22:28
- Not that much is quite enough (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, May 13, 13:10:40
- Because it's against the rules (n/m) (Other Football) - jamesward, May 13, 13:10:03
- Whilst that may all be true, the rules are the rules and they broke them (Other Football) - SimonOTBC, May 13, 13:08:20
- True, and of course those should be applied. Feels a bit of a desperate excuse for losing (Other Football) - megson, May 13, 13:16:21
- That would be mental after the new rule came in (Other Football) - SCC 28, May 13, 13:11:21
- seriously dishonest & blatant breach - chuck them out is the only fitting punishment (n/m) (Other Football) - paulg, May 13, 13:38:18
- I personally think they should be booted from the play offs (Other Football) - Charles21, May 13, 14:35:52
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