Tonda Eckert, Southampton’s manager, is unlikely to face a lengthy ban from football from the FA following Thursday’s hearing.

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, believes the governing body will take a “lenient” position towards the German.

The 33-year-old is scheduled to appear before the FA’s disciplinary panel on Thursday for his role in the Spygate scandal during last season’s Championship play-offs.

Wyness expects Eckert will face no more than a four-game suspension and a large fine for his misdemeanours.

The manager would be away from the touchline for the Saints’ crucial derby against Portsmouth following the international break.

However, a four-game suspension would definitely be a realistic outcome in the eyes of the club, given the possibility of a far harsher term.

The FA is expected to express sympathy towards Southampton.

Everton’s former CEO, Wyness, who worked at Goodison Park from 2004 to 2009 and now operates a football consultancy advising elite teams, feels the FA will sympathise with Eckert given Southampton’s past penalty.

The South Coast squad was knocked out of the play-offs last season, a punishment Wyness considers to be one of the worst he has ever seen in sports.

During a recent episode of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the Scottish businessman stated that Eckert’s team had already seen enough setbacks.”I believe he will face a two to four-game suspension and a fine,” he stated.I believe the fact that he was aware of this and directed it to some extent will serve as a mitigating element for the fine. I believe this will result in a lenient amount of games.I believe the FA may rely on the fact that they have Portsmouth coming up,

which is of course a major local derby on the South Coast. The FA may believe that penalising Southampton for a major derby game will result in positive publicity for them.I’m strongly in the camp that believes the club has already received too many penalties.

It was a massive penalty. “One of the largest penalties I’ve seen in modern sport, let alone football.”I believe that if it is two to four games, everyone can cope with it. He will not lose his job; everything will go on as usual, and I want this to be put behind him for good. Let us go forward.

Aaron Ramsdale ‘likely’ to depart Southampton in January

Mick Brown, former Manchester United head scout, told Football Insider last week that Aaron Ramsdale’s departure from St Mary’s during the January transfer window is “inevitable.”

The 28-year-old goalkeeper spent last season on loan at Newcastle and has yet to play competitively for Southampton this season.

Nonetheless, Brown feels the former Arsenal player is still well-regarded in the game and will likely return to the Premier League.

Ramsdale’s most recent competitive game was in April, before losing his position in Newcastle’s squad in the later parts of the season.