Southampton Hopeful Tonda Eckert Will Avoid Ban
Southampton are reportedly confident that head coach Tonda Eckert will avoid a ban despite being charged with three breaches of Football Association rules.
The charges relate to misconduct and bringing the game into disrepute following an investigation into Southampton spying on opposition training sessions during the 2025/26 campaign.
Saints admitted gathering information from sessions involving Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town and Oxford United. The EFL subsequently removed them from the Championship play-off final and imposed a four-point deduction for the beginning of the new season.
Southampton are understood to believe Eckert will escape a touchline or coaching ban, despite the three FA charges against him. That expectation was detailed in the latest update on the disciplinary process.
A ban would represent the most severe outcome for a manager who has retained the club’s support despite the controversy. Southampton are due to begin their season away at Watford on August 16, when their points penalty will leave them starting below the rest of the division.
Eckert took charge in 2025 and oversaw an improved second half of last season, with Saints finishing the regular Championship campaign unbeaten from January onwards. Their play-off run ended away from the pitch, however, after the EFL’s disciplinary process removed them from the final.
Southampton have managed to retain most of their leading players so far this summer and have signed Lewis Dobbin from Aston Villa for a reported £9 million. Shea Charles has attracted interest from Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Fulham, while Ross Stewart could potentially return after leaving at the end of his contract.
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