The long wait continues over whether Southampton and Tonda Eckert will continue their journey together after a long international break.
With the south coast derby at St Mary’s next, the Saints need clarity in the coming days.
While CEO Phil Parsons insisted that the club had not held conversations over potential Tonda Eckert replacements, it’s clear that statement was an attempt to boost chances of the FA handing their boss a reasonable punishment.
While a verdict is awaited, Southampton have their first credible report on who could replace the German head coach.
In consideration
Tonda Eckert’s hearing before an FA disciplinary commission took place on Thursday, and there is understood to be pressure for a ‘swift verdict’, according to The Telegraph.
Whatever spells the end of the Southampton Spygate saga will be timely - with the club currently in limbo over the stipulations of their head coach’s actions.
The Telegraph have revealed that, despite Phil Parsons’ claims otherwise, Saints have been considering contingency plans in the event of a long suspension for Tonda Eckert, and Rob Edwards has been discussed as a potential target.
Most recently manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers after leaving Middlesbrough at the back end of 2025, Edwards has a decent CV, and certainly isn’t liked in the North East after jumping ship with them in the automatic spots in the Championship.
Southampton are believed to be ‘long-term admirers’ of the manager who won promotion with Luton Town through the play-offs in 2023.
A decent option
After Southampton chose to stick with head coach Eckert despite the 33-year-old orchestrating spying on other sides in December 2025, April 2026 and May 2026, the club put a halt to any chances of getting the best options on the market then.
However, one benefit should their head coach be banned would be their opportunity to take some of the freshest managers on the market, who perhaps weren’t ready to jump back into coaching in the summer.
Rob Edwards fits in that bracket after being sacked at Wolves weeks before the new season, as does former West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan, who recently departed La Liga side Valencia.
Potential wildcard options could include Thomas Frank, but the former Brentford and Spurs head coach feels less likely to drop down to the Championship. Adam Lallana and Ben Garner could offer continuity from Tonda Eckert’s reign.
Before diving into the next steps for Southampton, it’s crucial that a verdict is reached on Tonda Eckert. His and the club’s punishments were already heavily served in May - a lengthy ban feels unfair, but unfortunately realistic.
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