There can be no mistaking just how angry and frustrated Tonda Eckert was as he met the press after yesterday's match.
Despite being asked about his team's performance and the impact of the result, he refused to single out any of his players. “It's us all together. I'm not going to throw anyone under the bus, and it doesn't help anyone. In the end, I am responsible,“ Eckert told the Daily Echo. He accepted responsibility as the head coach. That was the right thing to do.
Managers are paid to lead. They are paid to protect their players. Public criticism does little good and often makes things worse.
Eckert has stayed consistent in his message about unity and belief. He has made it clear that he backs his squad to improve. That was important after a disappointing result. It showed leadership.
More reasons to question Eckert's in-game management
But leadership is not only about words. It is about decisions in the heat of the moment. It is about changing what is happening on the pitch when the game is not going well. That is where questions need to be asked again.
At the point in the match where Saints were trying to get back into the game, the timing of certain substitutions felt off. Tom Fellows was taken off far too early. Saints were chasing a goal. They needed an attacking threat and momentum.
Fellows was one of the players who was creating chances and running at the Hull defence. With the scoreline against them, taking him off so soon looked like giving up an attacking option rather than strengthening it.
Playing time matters. When a player is involved and looks like he can make something happen, keeping him on longer is often the way to turn pressure into goals.
The fans let Tonda know exactly how they felt about that call as “You don't know what you're doing“ resounded around the home end.
Fellows has shown plenty of energy and creative moments this season. He has unsettled defenders and linked play in advanced areas. Withdrawing him when his team needed his energy and creativity was hard to understand.
Eckert continues to earn respect but he's clearly out of his depth
Eckert has earned respect for defending his players in public. He has given them belief and a sense of responsibility. That matters in a long season. But trust alone does not win games.
Decisions made during a match can change its course and affect the results. When a coach reacts too quickly, it can signal panic rather than intent. His obsession with structure and player fatigue is getting in the way of common-sense decisions.
Supporters will always want to back the squad. They will want to see unity from the manager and the players. Eckert has given them that off the field. On the field, this was one of those moments where a better thought-out plan might have kept Southampton’s chances alive for longer.
To build momentum and confidence, choices on matchday have to be as clear and purposeful as the words spoken off it. Eckert was right not to throw his players under the bus. He must now show he can back that stance with sharper decisions when the stakes rise. That is how progress is made.
Now Southampton head into the most important week of the season so far. Defeat at home to Sheffield United, followed by another at Fratton Park next Sunday, could see the club flirting with the relegation zone once again.