Southampton’s hopes of earning promotion to the Premier League were dashed when they were expelled from the play-offs.
The Saints were accused by Middlesbrough of spying on their pre-match training prior to the first leg of their semi-final clash.
The EFL then charged the club with breaching their rules, and they admitted to three cases of filming opposition training prior to a fixture, with the other two instances being against Oxford United and Ipswich Town.
This led to a significant punishment, as they were expelled from the Championship play-offs, as well as handed a four-point deduction penalty for next season.
Tonda Eckert’s side will be on the backfoot when things get back underway in August, but it remains to be seen whether the 33-year-old will still be in the dugout.
The Football Association have opened an investigation into the spying scandal, which could have a big impact on the German.
Tonda Eckert attracting interest after spying scandal
Tonda Eckert, Southampton
It has been reported by journalist Rudy Galetti that Eckert is also attracting interest from a number of Italian clubs following Southampton’s impressive form in the second half of the campaign.
The Saints went on a 19-game unbeaten run to earn fourth place in the table, and there are now several Serie A clubs circling.
No concrete offers have yet been made, with a number of teams in the Italian top flight now searching for a new head coach, including AC Milan and Napoli.
Juventus may also need a new manager, with uncertainty surrounding Luciano Spalletti’s position.
Meanwhile, Lazio and Atalanta are also set for a change in manager, although Genaro Gattuso and Maurizio Sarri are in line to take over at each club, respectively.
Does Tonda Eckert have a future at Southampton? Comment your opinion below
It has not been revealed which teams are interested in Eckert at this stage, but he has also previously been linked with a move to Germany.
However, he is seen as an attractive proposition for sides in Italy as well as he is fluent in the language.
It is unclear what impact the FA investigation into the spying scandal could have on Eckert’s career at this stage, but he remains Southampton’s head coach for the time being.
It has been reported that his position is under pressure at St. Mary’s, but that the club will not rush into a decision after they were expelled from the play-offs.
Hull City went on to win the final against Middlesbrough to earn their place in the Premier League.
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Tonda Eckert’s future is up in the air
Eckert should be a man in demand off the back of his impressive run of form in the second half of the season at Southampton, which also included reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
However, his involvement in the spying scandal has clouded things, and it could lead to him even being banned from football.
A move to Italy will be quite tempting for the 33-year-old, provided he avoids punishment from the FA, especially if it is one of the bigger clubs.
And it remains to be seen whether he will even be welcome to stay at St. Mary’s given the cost of being expelled from the play-offs.