Spygate: Who is Tonda Eckert and can he keep his job?

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tonda Eckert has been in charge of Southampton for 40 games, winning 25 of those Football issues correspondentPublished2 minutes agoJust two weeks ago, Tonda Eckert was a head coach who had the world at his feet. The German had transformed Southampton from relegation candidates to favourites to win the Championship promotion play-offs. And then came Spygate, the explosive controversy which would result in the south-coast club being thrown out of the play-offs and deducted four points for next season. No-one knows exactly who was complicit with William Salt - an intern analyst - embarking on spying mission to Middlesbrough's Rockliffe Park training base, or similar visits to watch Oxford United and Ipswich Town. The written reasons from the English Football League will provide the trail of evidence. Until then, we don't know Eckert's role, or whether he was involved. Eckert looked like he was the man to build a new era for Southampton in the Premier League. But many supporters and those connected with the club have made their minds up. He is intrinsically linked to a dark period in the club's history, whether he knew about the spying or not. Why was the 33-year-old so highly rated? Is there a future for him at St Mary's? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tonda Eckert spent 15 months as assistant manager of Barnsley between 2020 and 2021 When Will Still was sacked by Southampton on 2 November, Saints were in 21st place - three points outside the Championship relegation zone with one win in 13 games. That is when the club turned to Eckert, who had only arrived at St Mary's in July 2025 when he replaced a Chelsea-bound Calum McFarlane and took charge of the club's under-21 team. He appeared perfect for that academy job. Eckert's career had largely involved youth football, in his homeland with Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig. He had also helped the under-18s at Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg win the Uefa Youth League. Four months after moving to Saints, he would replace Still and manage a club in one of the biggest leagues in Europe. Eckert's only prior work in senior football came through 15 months as the number two at Barnsley, and three years as assistant boss at Italian club Genoa. But he was well known to Johannes Spors, Southampton's sporting director, as they were at Genoa together. So Eckert, at the age of 32 and with no previous managerial experience, stepped into Still's shoes on an interim basis which became permanent a month later. Eckert won a hat-trick of Championship manager of the month awards - for February, March and April - as Saints not only stormed into play-offs but finished within four points of the automatic places. Southampton (68) won more points after Eckert took charge than any other club - including champions Coventry City (67). But just 48 hours before Saints were due to play Middlesbrough in the first leg of the play-off semi-final, Southampton's world came crashing down. Salt was discovered observing a Middlesbrough training session, and the saga known as Spygate began. If he is found to have been involved, Eckert potentially faces not only losing his job but he could be banned too after the Football Association opened its own investigation. Dan George is a BBC Sport journalist who covers Southampton. He has closely watched Eckert over the past few months, from news conference to pitch-side. Eckert is quite a unique personality, someone that comes across as a very different person to the likes of previous Saints managers Still and Russell Martin. He is softly spoken, clearly intelligent and typically takes his time when responding to questions, measured and articulate in his responses. The German was keen to make a good impression with the media after his first matches, shaking the hand of each reporter and camera operator in his press conferences. This continued for a number of occasions before he was probably told this was not a weekly requirement. After being asked a question, he often pauses before diving into his answer, causing an awkward silence. He would then dive into his answers with a cool but intense eye contact. Despite Southampton's success and progress under Eckert, he never got too far ahead of himself. The next match was always his sole focus, an answer that would sometimes get repetitive but displayed his mindset. That intensity clearly crosses over, some players highlighting his meticulous attention to detail and work ethic. One player who played under Eckert before he was at Southampton described him as an individual who is fixated with football. "He's a good coach that's obsessed with details, a really impressive football man and good guy," they told BBC Sport. 72+ EFL Pod: Southampton no saints as Boro back in A just or harsh punishment? Reaction to Southampton expulsion Published19 hours ago'It's been messy' & 'no winners among fans' - play-off final chaos Published1 day agoAs

Spygate: Who is Tonda Eckert and can he keep his job?

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