Southampton owner Dragan Solak has confirmed that head coach Tonda Eckert will not be sacked despite his role in the spying scandal that saw the club thrown out of the Championship playoff final. Eckert issued a video apology, accepting full responsibility for ordering analysts to observe training sessions of three opponents during the season.
The independent disciplinary commission found Southampton had 'seriously violated' the integrity of the competition after spying on Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough. Eckert cited his coaching experiences in Germany and Italy, as well as comments by Pep Guardiola, as 'context' for his actions, but critics say his apology misses the key point that the spying was a deliberate breach of rules.
In his apology, Eckert said: 'I apologise to all of the clubs that have been involved and mostly I apologise to our supporters.' He added that the spying had no effect on sporting performance. However, the club was denied promotion after the EFL charges.
Solak expressed full support for Eckert, stating: 'Tonda's period as a head coach has been a success so far. Our form during 2026 has been remarkable and we believe he is the man to take us forward.' The club aims for promotion back to the Premier League next season.
