Southampton

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

I think some people are underestimating how much time is spent these days on working both in and out of possession in training based on who you’re playing that week.

Add to that the advantage of being able to know the opposition team and all their set pieces then there’s a reason that most new training grounds are built miles away from anywhere else these days.

I think I mentioned earlier in the thread that if it’s happened once I could understand a big fine and a lengthy ban for those who knew at the club but, if as is suspected they’ve been doing this regularly through the season then the absolute minimum is being thrown out of the playoffs. I’d be looking at a 3 point deduction for every provable occurrence at the start of next season too.

The risk vs reward of getting caught seems pretty crazy though! Especially if you’re sending the YTS boy who’s buying a coffee on his own credit card at the golf club next door

 

[Menston4128]

Vigs has feigned injury a few times this season .
He goes down trainers comes on most of the team goes to the touchline to Matos for instructions .
Would a time out be better ?

It's cheating and needs stamping out, there is half time for instructions and coaches talk to players all through the game.

What needs to stop is blatant cheating, the goalkeeper thing is just one way this happens and that can be resolved easily. Treat them like any other player and if they receive treatment remove them from the pitch like any other player would be, it will stop immeaditley.

loads of other things you can do as well

• Make the whole coaching team sit on the bench when any keeper (any player actually) goes down for treatment.
• Book / send to stands the manager if instructions are passed to any player by any member of the coaching team when a keeper goes down (4th officials can monitor this).
• Book any players that go across to receive instructions.
• Make all players go to opposite side of the pitch to the benches (you can leave some waters bottles in that area so no excuse that it's for a drink).

However all the above don't stop the offending team ruining the momentum of the game which is also a major reason why they do it.

 

[jack123]

If they broke the rules, I hope they chuck the book at them, just for shits and giggles really.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2054969995273130122

 

[Michu78]

I personally think this is way overhyped, I just think there is too many variables in a 90 minute game to worry about spying.

 

[Glyn1]

Its not like every game they've played this season isn't available in Ultra f**k off High Definition

What advantage did they lose exactly? Its a breach of sportsmanship and nothing else

But it's more than that, it's a breach of Regulation 127 which states: "no club shall directly or indirectly observe (or attempt to observe) another club's training session in the period of 72 hours prior to any match".

It doesn't really matter if they got anything useful out of it, in the same way as if I burgled your house but had to run away before I could steal anything. It's still burglary.

But what they could have found which wouldn't have been seen on the TV broadcasts would be how Boro would rearrange the team's formation if one of their players was out because of injury.

 

[Glyn1]

Yeah - does this mean every club who send their coaching staff to their next opponents games can be punished too?

Nope. The regulation only covers training sessions in the 72 hours before the match. Watching actual games is fine.

 

[monmouth]

I really would love to see them booted out just for a laugh, but it's not going to happen. They couldn't just reinstate the losers in such a big game, could they? There's no sporting integrity in that. So unless they can squeeze in a replay...maybe a one off neutral game, or they are willing to hand the promotion to Hull and lose their showpiece (no chance), then it's difficult to see anything but a slap on the wrist.

 

[JackSomething]

If they broke the rules, I hope they chuck the book at them, just for shits and giggles really.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2054969995273130122

Having already (allegedly) mocked Ayling's stutter earlier in the game, that celebration really shows how dull Harwood-Bellis is. I see there's a clip in that Twitter thread showing him deliberately stamping on a player's hand earlier in the season. Seems like a bit of a weapon.

As for the spying, it's completely different to watching a game. We often talk about the value of a manager who can adjust his gameplan based on the opposition and that would be something the team would be working on in training. It could be a change of formation, change of tactics, change of players, etc. Knowing that is coming in advance would be a huge advantage to the opposition.

I thought at first it would inevitably be a slap on the wrist style punishment, but I'm beginning to change my mind. The football authorities seem more keen these days to hit teams with a bigger punishment, possibly as a deterrent to others. I'm still leaning towards a large financial penalty, but kicking them out of the playoffs may actually be on the table.

 

[monmouth]

I thought at first it would inevitably be a slap on the wrist style punishment, but I'm beginning to change my mind. The football authorities seem more keen these days to hit teams with a bigger punishment, possibly as a deterrent to others. I'm still leaning towards a large financial penalty, but kicking them out of the playoffs may actually be on the table.

That would be sweet. There's a precedent with Leeds though isn't there? What did they get? A piddling fine? Plus they'd have to deal with the inevitable appeals before the final, and they'd probably do a Cardiff and go all the way with it to international sporting courts if they could.

 

[JackSomething]

That would be sweet. There's a precedent with Leeds though isn't there? What did they get? A piddling fine? Plus they'd have to deal with the inevitable appeals before the final, and they'd probably do a Cardiff and go all the way with it to international sporting courts if they could.

The rule they've been charged with breaching was brought in after Leeds' own 'Spygate' case, as the FA wanted a specific law on spying. All they'd been able to charge Leeds with was a rule about treating other teams fairly or some other similar wording, which meant they couldn't punish them as strongly as they liked. I believe this is the first time someone has been charged with breaking the new rule, so that's why I'm thinking they're going to want this to be a deterrent to others. Although I believe it's the panel that will set the punishment if found guilty, so not sure that will have an impact.

I also read (on The Athletic I think) that the FA's rules means this one cannot be taken to CAS. It's something that clubs agree to by playing in the English league structure.

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

The rule they've been charged with breaching was brought in after Leeds' own 'Spygate' case, as the FA wanted a specific law on spying. All they'd been able to charge Leeds with was a rule about treating other teams fairly or some other similar wording, which meant they couldn't punish them as strongly as they liked. I believe this is the first time someone has been charged with breaking the new rule, so that's why I'm thinking they're going to want this to be a deterrent to others. Although I believe it's the panel that will set the punishment if found guilty, so not sure that will have an impact.

I also read (on The Athletic I think) that the FA's rules means this one cannot be taken to CAS. It's something that clubs agree to by playing in the English league structure.

Also worth noting that Leeds (well Bielsa anyway) admitted it straight away and did an hour long press conference from what he’d learnt from his staff member watching Derby training.

Southampton on the other hand are being deliberately obstructive and trying to drag out the process for as long as possible, in the hope it will just go away or they’ll just end up with a minimal fine.

 

[monmouth]

Thanks JS. This has the potential to be much more amusing than I thought.