2026-06-02 10:36:23

Tonda Eckert has apologised for his involvement in the Southampton ‘Spygate’ scandal.

The Saints were expelled from the Championship play-offs last month after they were found to have spied on their semi-final opponents Middlesbrough and the German coach has issued an apology after the full extent of his involvement was disclosed in a report from the League Arbitration Panel on Monday (01.06.26).

The report revealed that it had been “a contrived and determined plan from top down to gain a competitive advantage” and even revealed a text message stating that the “manager loved” the information that was discovered in one instance of spying.

In a video posted on Southampton’s social media channels, Eckert said: “For everything that’s happened I do want to apologise and I hold my hand up because, as a head coach, I am responsible.

“I am responsible for everything that has happened in this football club. I am responsible for everything that has happened in my coaching staff.”

The manager also issued an apology to his Southampton players, as well as opponents that the club had spied on over the course of the Championship campaign.

Eckert said: “I am devastated that after six months of building that relationship [between fans and the team] back up the season has come to an end, come to an end that couldn’t have left us in a worse place than we are in right now.”

He added that observing opponents’ training sessions is “common practice” in Germany and claimed that “none of what has happened had any effect on the sporting performance” of the club this season.

Eckert’s apology comes after Southampton owner Dragan Solak revealed that he had decided not to sack the manager.

The Serbian businessman told BBC Sport: “I think he deserves a second chance and I would give it to him.

“My full support would be behind him actually, because I think he’s a super-talented manager.

“My personal opinion, and the opinion of the board, is that he is a manager who deserves to be backed by us and to be supported by us. I will obviously seek advice from the team. I will seek advice from the players, from the fans. But yes, if it’s ultimately my decision, he stays.”

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