“I’m not one to keep a grudge”: Hellberg looks ahead as Middlesbrough host Wolves

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg insists he has drawn a line under recent disciplinary controversy as his side prepare to face Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Speaking in his pre-match media duties, Hellberg underlined a commitment to move on from the fallout of an earlier decision that resulted in a punishment for him, stressing that any personal tensions have been resolved and that his focus is now firmly on his own team.

Focus back on the pitch

In an interview with BBC Radio Tees, the Middlesbrough boss made clear he does not intend to carry ill feeling into the home fixture against Wolves.

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees:

“I think for us and for me, it ended after the judgement in the first one. I’m not want to keep a grudge after that.

“I get that punishment and then we move on. I talked to Tonda since that day and he called me and apologised for those things.

“In general, it was up to them to make their decision so for us, it’s moving forward and trying to spend everything on ourselves, that’s the main thing.

“After the game, I talked about my point-of-view on it. I never said anything about what was the ban, I just talked about the emotions that I felt about it.

“I’m not the one to keep a grudge in terms of that. Everyone is entitled to a second chance. I try to live by that every day.”

Reinforcing trust and discipline

Hellberg’s remarks place emphasis on personal accountability and reconciliation at a time when touchline conduct and technical-area behaviour are increasingly scrutinised under the laws of the game overseen by The IFAB Laws of the Game. His acceptance of the earlier judgement and subsequent conversation with “Tonda” – whose apology he highlights – underline a priority on maintaining professional standards and relationships inside what is already a high-pressure environment.

For Middlesbrough, the head coach’s stance helps stabilise the narrative around the club going into a significant home match. By publicly stating that the matter is “ended” from his side, Hellberg removes a potential distraction for players and staff who must now turn their attention to game preparation, tactical detail and selection decisions for the visit of Wolves.

Match context: Middlesbrough v Wolves

The fixture pitches a historically strong home side at the Riverside against visitors with top-flight experience, offering a test of Middlesbrough’s resilience both on and off the pitch.

• Fixture: Middlesbrough v Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Venue: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
• Kick-off: Saturday, 15:00 BST

For an international audience, the 15:00 BST slot places the match squarely in the traditional Saturday football window in England, where domestic scheduling norms and broadcast arrangements often concentrate multiple fixtures. That amplifies scrutiny on performance, coaching decisions and in-game discipline for both teams.

Leadership message to the dressing room

By openly stating that “everyone is entitled to a second chance,” Hellberg is sending a message that extends beyond his own ban and apology received. It reflects a leadership approach that values learning from sanctions rather than prolonging conflict.

Such an approach can be influential inside a professional dressing room, where players must navigate yellow and red card risks, retrospective disciplinary action and public criticism. When a head coach publicly embraces the principle of accepting punishment and moving forward, it establishes a tone that can help unite the squad around shared standards of behaviour and response to setbacks.

It also places responsibility back within the club to “spend everything on ourselves,” as he puts it, underlining that the priorities now are performance levels, tactical execution and squad cohesion instead of revisiting past disagreements with officials or opponents.

Discipline, governance and modern coaching

Elite football increasingly requires coaches to operate within detailed regulatory frameworks that govern touchline conduct, protests, and comments about officials and opponents. Sanctions imposed under competition rules are designed to protect the integrity of matches, and coaches who respond by accepting decisions rather than inflaming disputes can help to minimise longer-term disruption.

Hellberg’s description of the decision as one for “them to make” acknowledges that disciplinary and regulatory calls sit outside a club’s direct control. In practical terms, that clarity allows his attention to return to team preparation, video analysis and player management ahead of Wolves’ visit, rather than becoming absorbed by an extended dispute over the length or nature of any previous punishment.

Pressure, perception and the Wolves test

As Middlesbrough prepare to host Wolves, the narrative around the club has subtly shifted from disciplinary tension to the head coach’s insistence on professionalism and forgiveness. For supporters and players alike, that reframing is significant.

The visit of Wolves brings with it not only a demanding 90 minutes but also a chance for Middlesbrough to show they can channel recent off-field emotion into a focused, controlled performance. How Hellberg’s side respond under that spotlight will shape perceptions of his management style as much as any tactical decision.

With the touchline matter, in his words, “ended,” the task now is to ensure the only story coming out of Saturday’s 15:00 BST kick-off is on the football itself.