We are hurtling quickly into June, and there is still no concrete update on Tonda Eckert's future in the Southampton dugout.
It is expected that he will be relieved of his duties, as the Saints try to get rid of the stink of Spygate, with reports already suggesting he could jet off to Serie A to salvage his scarred managerial reputation, away from English shores.
Yet, nothing has been confirmed that he will be dismissed. Instead, it's all just speculation and murmurs at this point.
A wild rumour in the air at the moment has even tipped John Mousinho to take on the St. Mary's reins, leaving Southampton's bitter South Coast rivals Portsmouth in the process.
Mousinho linked to replace Eckert
Mousinho's name continues to be near the top of lists tipping managers to replace the German, if he does up and leave shortly.
It would certainly be a controversial appointment if the 40-year-old were to leave Fratton Park behind to defect over enemy lines, with Mousinho joining the likes of Harry Redknapp in managing both South Coast clubs.
Yet, next to names such as Liam Rosenior and Sean Dyche, there is a logic behind his name appearing as a wildcard choice, with the former defensive battler, turned promising manager, now three seasons down as Pompey's manager, meaning he is an experienced EFL tactician.
If Southampton fans could put their disgust to one side that he once took up a position in the Fratton Park dug-out, this might be seen as an inspired appointment that initially sends shockwaves through the footballing world, but goes down as a risk worth pursuing.
Would this be a good appointment?
Linked with the jobs at Bristol City and Stoke City, too, it's clear that Mousinho is a man in demand this off-season, as clubs up and down the Championship scramble for new managers.
He might have had a public spat with Eckert when Southampton clashed with Pompey earlier in the season, but all this bad blood would be quickly forgotten about if the 40-year-old could deliver instant results on his shock arrival to St. Mary's.
Mousinho has been able to consistently deliver results under pressure at Fratton Park, with a very impressive 70 wins collected from 172 games, as he has turned Pompey from League One fodder into a safe and secure Championship outfit.
Mousinho's record as Portsmouth manager:
Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|
172 | 70 | 47 | 55 |
Picking up four victories from Portsmouth's final six league games at the close of the season just gone, he could be the exact man Southampton need to instantly push up the standings, as they jump into the brand-new campaign with a four-point deduction.
Winning League One during his debut season at the helm, too, promotion could even be on the cards if Mousinho were to send ripples through the footballing world and jump ship to the Saints.
Noted as having "real" leadership skills when first appointed at Pompey, he could be the unlikely leader figure the Saints need to get out of this current mess.
It would likely be a controversial appointment from the get-go, as Southampton and Portsmouth very rarely see eye-to-eye.
But a move for Mousinho shouldn't be ruled out completely, as Spygate has proven that football is a funny old game that can throw up big surprises.
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