Southampton have been thrown out of the Championship play-off final after being found guilty of spying on opponents, a sanction that has divided opinion among football pundits. The Saints were also handed a four-point deduction for next season after admitting to monitoring rivals' training sessions, including before the play-off semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough. Boro, who lost that tie, will now face Hull City at Wembley for a place in the Premier League.
Alan Shearer, who began his career at Southampton, described the punishment as 'really harsh'. Speaking to Betfair, he said: 'I'm not sure the crime meets the punishment. Marcelo Bielsa admitted to it a few years back and I think it was about a £200,000 fine. You're talking about £200 million here.' He added that while Southampton had only themselves to blame, the sanction seemed disproportionate.
Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan echoed Shearer's concerns on talkSPORT. 'You have to have gone some way from Leeds being sanctioned in 2019 with £200k, to expulsion from a game that is worth £250 million,' he said. 'Do I think it's disproportionate? Of course I do. Am I surprised they've done it? I'm really surprised they've done it.'
Gary Lineker, speaking on The Rest is Football, said he was 'shocked' by the decision. 'I'm not sure the crime warrants this punishment. A giant fine would have probably sufficed, I would think,' he added. Harry Redknapp, who managed both Southampton and Portsmouth, called the manager's actions 'so stupid it's beyond belief' but also felt the penalty was too severe.
The EFL's ruling has sparked debate about consistency, with several pundits noting the vast difference between the fine imposed on Leeds United in 2019 and Southampton's expulsion. The Saints have lost an appeal against the sanction, which they claimed was disproportionate.
