Southampton manager Tonda Eckert is facing the sack after the EFL upheld the decision to expel the club from the Championship play-off final. The Saints' appeal was unsuccessful, meaning Middlesbrough will face Hull City at Wembley instead. Southampton will begin next season with a four-point deduction.
Eckert admitted responsibility for spying on opposition teams during training, a practice common in his native Germany but against English rules. The club admitted fault but deemed the punishment excessive. Owner Dragan Solak is reportedly furious, as the scandal cost Southampton a shot at the £200m play-off final for Premier League promotion.
Eckert and sporting director Johannes Spors may face further investigation from the FA, with potential suspensions looming. The club also risks losing sponsors, who may not want to be associated with admitted cheating. The Guardian reports that Southampton could face a legal claim from players for loss of earnings after being denied an immediate return to the Premier League.
Player Leo Scienza expressed the squad's anger, saying: 'Disappointment, anger, sadness. It's difficult to find the right words for what we're all feeling right now.' Internal discussions are ongoing among the squad, with serious discontent in the dressing room.
