At this point in time, Tonda Eckert will be leading Southampton out as manager next season.
Despite his role in the Saints being expelled from the Championship playoffs due to Spygate, the Southampton owner, Dragan Solak, has decided to stick by the 33-year-old, citing that he is a promising manager who warrants a second chance.
Indeed, the German didn't catapult the South Coast side into the playoff picture this season just gone because he was using espionage tactics.
Rather, it's clear he is a talented head coach who is well-liked, with Daniel Peretz even returning for good in recent days as a major statement transfer, who was a vital part of Eckert's camp.
Eckert would initially break the ice with the Southampton fans - after weeks of silence - with a long in-depth video that was posted on the second-tier side's social media right at the start of June, with the German apologising for his clear position in the Spygate scandal.
While many took this apology as being heartfelt, ex-Saints boss Alan Pardew wasn't convinced, when speaking on TalkSPORT about the constant drama coming out of St. Mary's.
Pardew's response to Eckert interview
Pardew was manager of the South Coast side when they were going through difficulties similar to Spygate.
The 64-year-old, who would go on to manage the likes of Newcastle United post St. Mary's, would take charge of the Saints in League One, as they battled back from a ten-point deduction that had been handed to them for financial mismanagement.
He would very nearly guide them into the playoffs during his first full season at the helm, despite this points penalty, with Eckert perhaps taking some inspiration from the well-travelled manager. He won't have liked these comments from the Englishman, however, who is more known for his punditry work these days...
Pardew said, when commenting on Eckert's upfront apology: "I’m not sure they’ve convinced the British public that all is good with that. We’ve still got a possible FA charge. I think that’s got to go through.
He could get banned through that, which will give them a problem: they won’t be able to keep him in that position and the owner kind of registered that.
"I thought his interview was strange. He was apologising and apologising and apologising. I don’t know, it just didn’t weigh up to me. I watched Nicola Sturgeon’s interview, and it struck me as very similar. It didn’t all ring true.”
Pardew does have some weight behind his points, as it will be up to the FA to decide whether Eckert is allowed to continue as Saints boss.
But, noting the interview as 'strange' does feel somewhat harsh, as it would've been even stranger if the radio silence just continued on, and no dialogue was given.
There could well be another reason as to why Pardew is sticking the knife in here, as he has noted in the past that he felt harshly done by when relieved of his duties on the South Coast.
Pardew has a bone to pick
Pardew would walk away from Southampton in 2010 with a very impressive tally of 36 wins next to his name from 64 total matches.
Ultimately, it wasn't his performances that cost him the job, as it was reported that low morale and spats with club chairman Nicola Cortese resulted in his dismissal.
Noting that he felt "harshly treated" by the powers that be at the Saints in 2012, he could well have a bone to pick, as in the here and now, Eckert is being defended when he wasn't.
It will be intriguing to see if Eckert is dismissed like Pardew, due to a FA banning order, or whether he will be granted his wish of a second chance at promotion glory, with the one-time Southamptom boss not buying his apology as earnest.
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