The EFL have failed to shortlist a single Southampton player for Championship Player of the season despite the team going unbeaten in fifteen matches and surging into the play-off places under Tonda Eckert.
Trio of players ignored by the EFL
Finn Azaz, Léo Scienza, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis have all been brilliant over the whole season and should feel aggrieved to have been overlooked by the EFL.
The performances of Finn Azaz have been exceptional, and the Ireland international has 10 goals and 6 assists to his name in the Championship. Although he isn't the easiest on the eye due to his languid style, Azaz is clearly one of the most influential attacking players in the league.
Léo Scienza is in the top three or four players in the Championship on many attacking metrics. Even whoscored.com, whose ratings only take into account basic statistics, has Scienza in the top four of all players in the Championship.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis should also be in the equation. His contribution extends far beyond clearances, blocks and tackles. He has demonstrated his class through distribution that enables Southampton to transition from defence to attack exceptionally quickly. It's not always easy to see quality in the statistics on a table.
The fact that none of these players has been nominated is an embarrassment to the EFL and the shortlisting committee. Clearly, the nominations have come way too early. There are still five games to go for most teams and six for Southampton.
A complete disregard for what Tonda Eckert has achieved this season
Even more embarrassing for the EFL is their complete disregard for what Tonda Eckert has achieved as Head Coach. The young German manager has a higher points-per-match ratio than any of the other managers in the top six.
Manager | Club | PPM |
|---|---|---|
Tonda Eckert | Southampton | 2.08 |
Frank Lampard | Coventry City | 2.05 |
Kieran McKenna | Ipswich Town | 1.85 |
Kim Hellberg | Middlesbrough | 1.75 |
Alex Neil | Millwall | 1.70 |
Sergej Jakirovic | Hull City | 1.66 |
The humble Saints boss has been a revelation since taking on the role of interim Head Coach at Southampton in November 2025. Eckert led the team to four wins in five games after taking charge on an interim basis, a run that saw the club climb the table and pick up 12 points from 15 available.
As interim boss, Eckert's PPM was 2.40 - way better than any other manager in the Championship.
Since taking on the permanent role, the 33-year-old coach has bettered his peers both in the Championship and across all competitions. In the Championship, Eckert's PPM has Southampton in the automatic promotion places. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Nevertheless, the EFL may end up with egg on their faces if Eckert continues to steer Southampton towards promotion this season.
EFL: Hang your heads in shame!