Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert is awaiting the outcome of the FA’s hearing following the long-running ‘Spygate’ saga.
The Saints were kicked out of the Championship play-offs last term and received a four-point deduction this campaign after admitting they spied on three clubs during the 25/26 season.
However, no action has yet been taken against boss Eckert, with a verdict expected during the international break.
The 33-year-old was charged with three breaches of rule E3.1 in July following his involvement in the shenanigans that plagued the end of the last campaign.
The latest report this morning from Alfie House of the Southern Daily Echo is that there is no news following yesterday’s hearing. The expectation is that any decision won’t be made public until next week, which would leave Southampton scrambling if there is any punishment for the German coach. According to The Telegraph, one such alternative is former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards.
The 43-year-old has been out of management since being sacked by Wolves in the summer, after their relegation from the Premier League. That decision initially came as a surprise to many, given Edwards arrived in the West Midlands with the club rock bottom of the top flight. Interestingly, the former Watford head coach also had a brief spell at Middlesbrough last season, the club that caught Saints intern Will Salt spying on Boro earlier this year.
Given this is such a unique scenario, senior figures at the South Coast outfit had no idea what to expect before the hearing got underway yesterday. Fears remain over a several-month ban, particularly given that the season is now underway. As Southampton have stuck by Eckert until this point, it appears likely they would continue to do so, with him continuing as head coach after the expiration of any potential ban.
How Has The Football World Reacted?
Given that we’re in the international break, big stories in the Championship are scarce. However, this particular one is captivating the world of football, much like the original case involving the Saints did in May. If the words of Cambridge United boss Neil Harris are to be believed, then there is still a huge amount of anger towards the actions of Eckert.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the former Millwall head coach didn’t mince his words when discussing the 33-year-old’s actions.
“Probably on behalf of myself but also every other manager in the Football League, and probably a lot of fans as well, what happened is bordering on disgraceful.
“Listening to the [Southampton] CEO talking about how they’ve been punished enough as a football club, yeah, and I agree, the football club, Southampton Football Club, and the fan base and the workforce have been punished hugely.
“The manager should get a ban and get a huge ban, in my opinion, as a senior football man in this country. He’s gone way across the mark of cheating. We don’t do that in this country. There’s no place for it in the game over here. Every manager in the Football League agrees.”
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