Tonda Eckert has been charged by the FA with misconduct in connection with the spygate scandal, in which Southampton illegally observed Middlesbrough’s training session prior to their play-off semi-final clash last season.

Under the German manager, the Saints went on a 19-game undefeated streak to finish the Championship season last year, propelling them from mid-table to the play-offs. With their two-legged victory over Borough, their total would rise to 21 games.

However, Southampton’s impressive unbeaten streak was marred when intern first-team analyst William Salt was caught filming Kim Hellberg’s side ahead of their postseason meeting.

The EFL banned the Saints from the play-off final and imposed a four-point deduction to begin the 2026/27 season after they admitted to spying ahead of regular season games against Oxford United and Ipswich Town. Ironically, Southampton did not win any of the previous games they admitted to spying on.

Tonda Eckert could face further punishment for her role in Spygate.

The EFL could only exclude Southampton from the play-off final and dock them points to begin the upcoming season, according to the Guardian, as they are powerless to enforce individual suspensions.

As a result, the FA took over the investigation, charging Eckert with misconduct on Wednesday. The 33-year-old has until next Tuesday to respond to the charges.

Meanwhile, speculation surrounds what punishment the Southampton manager may face if he accepts the charges, with the Guardian reporting that a precedent set by FIFA in 2024 could result in a ban.

In that case, Bev Priestman, the Canadian women’s national team coach, was barred from all football activities for a year after being found guilty of using a drone to monitor New Zealand’s training ahead of their match at the Paris Olympics.

Saints owner Dragan Solak has remained to back Eckert throughout the summer, as evidenced by the club’s response to the claims, but according to the Guardian, some sources believe the German manager could face a six-month ban as a result of the misbehaviour.

The FA does not have the authority to impose that ban globally, so Eckert may be free to work elsewhere; however, they can request that FIFA impose an international suspension, prohibiting him from working in football until the ban expires.

Southampton fans react to a likely Tonda Eckert ban.

The bulk of Southampton fans simply want the story to end so they can focus on matters this season and strive to return to the Premier League in the proper manner.

Online, Saints fans have responded adversely to the idea that their boss could face a lengthy suspension from football, believing that the EFL’s measures were sufficient.

In response to the Guardian’s report being posted on X, one Saints fan wrote, “They just want to see Saints suffer even more. They don’t want us returning to the Premier, so they’ll do whatever they can. I mean, isn’t removing us from the playoffs enough?

Another commented, “How much more are they going to hit the Saints… play-off final 4 points deduction. A fine should suffice,” while a third fan wrote, “The club should pull a Manchester City and appeal any form of ban. This is beginning to feel like a vengeance,” referring to Manchester City’s still-unresolved 115 alleged financial rule violations from 2009 to 2018.

“Putting aside the fact that a six-month ban would be ridiculous, awaiting punishment as we get closer to the start of the season is poor from the FA,” was another response, emphasising that Southampton’s chances of mounting a successful promotion push next season are clearly hampered by the uncertainty surrounding their manager’s future.

Finally, having all of the buzz around spygate as loud as it was two months ago is not what Southampton wants, especially with the new season starting in just over two weeks.

The Saints will play League Two club Colchester United in the EFL Cup first round on August 8, followed by a week later against Watford to kick off their league season. Southampton will be hoping for some answers about their manager’s situation long before then.