Southampton players would like Tonda Eckert to continue in his role as head coach despite the spying scandal that led to them being booted out of the Championship play-offs.
Spygate Fallout
The Saints had booked a date at Wembley against Hull City in the play-off final after beating Middlesbrough over two legs. However, they were removed from the competition after being charged over 'Spygate' once it emerged that a club employee caught spying on a Middlesbrough training session had been authorised to do so by Southampton's head coach.
Eckert has been heavily scrutinised since the decision of an independent disciplinary panel, with the FA also opening an investigation into the matter.
Player Support
But despite the fact that the 33-year-old could be handed a ban for authorising three spying missions against Boro, Ipswich and Oxford, Southampton's players are still behind him, according to The Sun.
An insider told the outlet: “Most of the squad have given Tonda an overwhelmingly positive reaction despite what happened.
“Not everyone was completely happy, of course, but the majority of them believe keeping Tonda as manager gives them the best possible chance of getting promoted to the Premier League next season.”
Uncertain Future
Despite claims that the majority of the squad would like Eckert to remain in his post, there have been conflicting reports in recent weeks outlining that his position could now be untenable.
Southampton are yet to decide whether or not to stick with the German and could yet sack him as the club continue to digest the fallout of their play-off expulsion, while they will also start the season bottom of the Championship table after being docked four points. Eckert also faces the prospect of a lengthy ban.
Disciplinary Ruling
The ruling by an independent disciplinary commission lambasted the "deplorable approach" taken by the club to get junior members of staff to observe rivals' training.
They said in their ruling: "We have concluded that there was, on the part of the respondent [Southampton], a contrived and determined plan from the top down to gain a competitive advantage in competitions of real significance by deliberate attendance at opposition training grounds for the purpose of obtaining tactical and selection information.
"It involved far more than innocent activity and a particularly deplorable approach in its use of junior members of staff to conduct the clandestine observations at the direction of senior personnel.
"There was transmission and internal dissemination and analysis of footage and observations."
