On the first Sunday of March, just a day after Southampton’s 3-1 win at Hillsborough, Saints boss Tonda Eckert was at Craven Cottage to observe how Fulham play ahead of their FA Cup fixture.
A week later, the German boss celebrated on that very pitch a spectacular win over Marco Silva’s side.
It’s the small bits of attention to detail that win you games - and Eckert is proving how good a head coach he is to the Saints faithful.
A performance to be proud of
This is the first time Southampton have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup while being outside of the top flight since 1976, and every Saints supporter knows exactly what that year meant for the club.
50 years on, the club is searching for its second ever major trophy - and fans will be hoping this is the year.
Stand-in captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis showed exactly how much the win meant for him, “It’s always an honour to have the armband. I thought the lads were absolutely brilliant. Before the game, the manager made it really clear about how many fans were coming and how much it meant.”
“We didn’t have anywhere near enough [clean sheets] last year. We made a point that we needed to show that we’ve stepped up and we’re better than we were. I thought we did that and defended really well.”
Despite having just 32% possession, the Saints made the better chances, carving out a whopping 1.97 xG. It took a last-gasp penalty to seal the deal, but it was the least such a spirited performance deserved.
Eckert’s impressive record
Saints boss Tonda Eckert has won 15 of his 25 games in charge at the club, where his side has averaged an outstanding two goals a game.
Following Will Still’s disappointing stint, it really feels like the Saints are turning a corner now.
Tonda Eckert after the win against Fulham: "It's special. There are moments where you realise how big the FA Cup is, & supporters have emphasised this in conversations with me, lining the streets outside the ground & 5,000 in the stands. You feel that, & you feel a responsibility."
But in regular Tonda Eckert fashion, the 33-year-old didn’t stop after the game to take much of a break.
“We don’t get satisfied after winning one game, we have to win the next one, the next one, the next one. We just take the games as they come. We just have to make sure we keep going.”
Eckert will have his eyes peeled to the television on Monday night at 19.00, when the quarter-finals draw will take place.
One win from Wembley - Southampton fans can start dreaming now.