Southampton will aim for a top two finish in the Championship next season.

The Saints were eliminated from the play-offs the previous season, preventing them from gaining promotion to the Premier League.

The Hampshire club was found guilty of breaking the EFL’s rules by spying on opposition training sessions, therefore they were barred from competing in the play-off final despite having earned the right to do so.

Tonda Eckert guided the squad to a 19-game unbeaten streak and fourth place in the standings, putting the club in promotion contention after a difficult first half of the season.

However, the German is now being investigated by the Football Association for his involvement in the spying controversy.

He has been officially charged as part of that probe and is currently awaiting punishment, with the possibility of a football ban looming.

Tonda Eckert could face a touchline ban.

Former Everton and Aston Villa CEO Keith Hackett has stated that Eckert is likely to receive a touchline ban rather than a suspension from the sport as a whole.

The 33-year-old may miss the first six games of the new season. However, he questions the need for spying on teams’ training given the available information to coaches.”What amazed me about that old case is that his technical staff has access to a wealth of information,” Hackett told Football Insider.

“As fans, we sometimes see possession, passing, and tackling stats. I don’t understand why someone would stand behind a tree with binoculars to observe training activities.The technical staff has a relatively simple task when it comes to covering worldwide games like the Premier League and Championship on television.They can acquire information through set-piece free kicks and corner kicks.Is it going to be six games without him on the field? I believe it will be that many, and the outcome will most likely be six games.”

It is unclear what penalty Eckert may face after being charged by the FA for his role in the spying case.

If the German is banned from football, as Bev Priestman was for a similar act at the 2024 Olympics, Southampton will suffer greatly.

Despite the case against Eckert, the Saints said in a statement that they fully support the coach as the new season approaches.

Southampton have already acquired several new players to their first-team squad during the summer transfer window.

Daniel Peretz and Cyle Larin, who were previously on loan at St. Mary’s, have now signed permanent contracts.

The Championship side has also signed Lewis Dobbin and George Long, with the transfer window open until September 1.

If Eckert is banned, it may have an impact on their remaining business, as the window is now five weeks long.

Southampton open the new season on August 16 with a trip to face Watford.

A touchline ban is an acceptable consequence for Southampton.

Southampton would like to move on from this espionage and concentrate all of their efforts on the upcoming season and transfer market.

But, in the end, a touchline ban isn’t the worst-case scenario for the club, and they’re likely to accept it in order to move on.

A six-month or one-year suspension from football would be a nightmarish scenario, necessitating the appointment of a new head coach on short notice before the season begins.

So, in that context, it would be more nicer if he was only restricted from the sidelines for a few games.