Southampton owner backs Eckert to stay despite Spygate expulsion from play-offs

Southampton owner Dragan Solak has confirmed that head coach Tonda Eckert will keep his job despite the club being expelled from the Championship play-off final last month after being found guilty of spying on opponents Middlesbrough, Oxford, and Ipswich during training sessions.

The League Arbitration Panel’s written reasons, published on Monday, described the operation as “a contrived and determined plan from top down to gain a competitive advantage” and placed Eckert at the centre of the scandal. A junior analyst at the club stated he “didn’t really have an option” but to carry out the surveillance, saying Eckert’s proposals had placed him “under extreme pressure” to perform a task he found morally wrong. Southampton were also handed a four-point deduction for next season; an appeal against the severity of the punishment was dismissed.

Eckert was described as “surprised” to learn the practice violated EFL regulations, and Solak told BBC Sport he accepted that explanation. “I believe Tonda that he didn’t know that it was the rule that he was breaking,” Solak said. “My personal opinion, and the opinion of the board, is that he is a manager who deserves to be backed by us and to be supported by us.”

Solak was unambiguous about the consequences of any future breach, however. “I told him: ‘You almost broke my heart. You do it again, you’ll kill me. The next time I see you in July, if you don’t know the EFL book of rules by heart, you can’t work for me. Because we can’t have another mistake.’” The owner also noted that in Italy and Germany, where Eckert previously worked, such scouting practices were regarded as commonplace.

Eckert is not yet clear of further consequences. The FA has opened its own investigation into the scandal and holds the power to impose a personal ban on the Southampton head coach. Solak indicated he would stand by Eckert even in that scenario, though the written reasons for any such sanction would presumably shape the club’s response.

Solak’s media company acquired a majority stake in Southampton in 2022. The club were relegated from the Premier League in 2023 and had been targeting an immediate return before the play-off expulsion ended that prospect.