Southampton owner Dragan Solak has confirmed that head coach Tonda Eckert will not be sacked despite his role in the spying scandal that led to the club being expelled from the Championship playoff final. Eckert publicly apologised for the first time in a video message, accepting full responsibility for ordering analysts to observe training sessions of three opponents during the season.
The independent disciplinary commission found that 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 the spying missions, but insisted the actions had no impact on sporting performance.
Eckert said he was “devastated” by the outcome and apologised to the clubs involved and to Southampton supporters. He acknowledged the need to rebuild trust, if he avoids a potential ban from the Football Association, which is also investigating the matter.
Solak expressed full support for Eckert, describing his tenure as a success and stating that the board believes he is the man to lead the club back to the Premier League. “We want to close the chapter and look ahead together as one, including Tonda and his staff,” Solak said.
