The finale of Southampton’s Championship season risks being completely overshadowed by the “Spygate” issue, which involves their play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough.

The Saints have been charged by the EFL under Rule 127, which specifically prohibits teams from attempting to get access to competing clubs’ training sessions.

The first leg at The Riverside Stadium finished in a goalless draw, but a 117th-minute goal in the second leg at St Mary’s secured Southampton’s spot in the final against Hull City at the end of a tumultuous evening on the south coast.

However, Saints’ jubilation have been dampened by these charges, which might result in a points deduction for the club next season regardless of which tier they play in, or perhaps their elimination from the play-offs entirely.

Fans now have another reason to be concerned, as reports suggest that head coach Tonda Eckert may return to Germany.

Tonda Eckert is on the list of possible choices for Bundesliga team Borussia Mönchengladbach.

According to Sport Witness, Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach has listed Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert as a prospective new head coach as they aim to rebuild after finishing 11th in the Bundesliga this season.

They confirm German media claims that Gladbach is considering replacing head coach Eugene Polanski, despite the fact that he has only been in the role since September 2025.

Polanski continues in his post, and the German news outlet Rheinische Post has reported that the club has no internal appointments to make, while they are anxious that other available head coaches from the Bundesliga will not be persuaded to join the club.

They affirm that the club will not make a decision until after the Championship play-off final, which is set to take place on May 23. According to reports, they have a “extensive” list of potential alternatives in case they decide to change their current head coach, and Eckert’s “work and current success at Southampton has not gone unnoticed back in his homeland.”

Eckert’s future may be determined by the EFL accusations against Southampton.

Tonda Eckert’s success at Southampton should have piqued the interest of clubs back in Germany.

After being appointed as head coach at St Mary’s following Will Still’s disastrous spell at the start of November, the Saints have only lost five of their 33 Championship matches under his command and, in theory, have a place in this year’s play-off final to look forward to.

Eckert was first appointed as an interim, but his job was made permanent at the beginning of December.

With no decision made on the “Spygate” issue that has clouded the end of their season, it’s understandable that Borussia Mönchengladbach has yet to decide whether or not to approach Eckert. If Southampton enters the Premier League next season, he is likely to want to lead the squad.

However, if the Saints are forced to start next season in either the Championship or the Premier League, and face an uphill battle due to the application of a points deduction, the idea of returning to Germany may become more appealing to the young manager, who is in his first position as a head coach at St Mary’s, having only been appointed as their under-21s head coach in July.

Eugene Polanski joined the club in September 2025, following a dismal start to the season that resulted in Gerardo Seoane’s dismissal, with the squad earning only one point in their first three games.

While it took until the beginning of November for them to earn their first League win of the season, Polanski did keep the ship afloat, but dismal results in the latter stages of the season have raised the prospect of another managerial change.

Eckert has already expressed his dissatisfaction with the ‘Spygate’ scandal, stepping out of a press conference after the Middlesbrough second leg when a journalist asked if he was “a cheat.” It was the second time in four days that he had done this.

If the EFL decides that the club’s conduct amounted to cheating as a result of the impending case, it is highly possible that his attention will be drawn to Gladbach.