Southampton manager Tonda Eckert under FA investigation while spied intern kept on staff

Southampton’s manager Tonda Eckert remains under investigation by the Football Association after the club was expelled from the Championship play‑off final and handed a four‑point deduction for a spygate scandal. The scandal involved a 23‑year‑old intern, Will Salt, who was instructed to spy on rival teams, including Middlesbrough, Oxford and Ipswich. Despite the controversy, Southampton offered Salt a permanent role within the club’s academy.

Eckert, a 33‑year‑old German, has continued to run pre‑season training while awaiting the FA’s decision. The club’s owner Dragan Solak has publicly backed him, saying Eckert deserves a second chance. The EFL disciplinary panel described Southampton’s actions as a “contrived and determined plan” and cited a precedent involving Canada’s women’s coach. The outcome of the FA probe will determine whether Eckert faces a possible one‑year ban from football activity.