Football works in odd ways, and as Tonda Eckert waits for the outcome of his FA hearing, the Spygate controversy could take another dramatic turn.

It is unclear what the German’s punishment will be, but there are fears at Southampton that he may be banned from football for three months or longer.

If that happens, the Saints would have to decide who will lead the players, and Rob Edwards has been rumoured to take interim leadership at St Mary’s Stadium.

Of course, the Welshman was only in command of Middlesbrough for a short time, leaving the Borough faithful disappointed, but what are your thoughts on happenings on Teesside?

Southampton issued a stern warning on Rob Edwards’ hiring.

Edwards managed Middlesbrough for only 16 games at the start of last season before taking over at Wolves, where he was unable to avoid their relegation from the Premier League.

The Welshman was then unexpectedly fired by the Old Gold in June and replaced by Cesar Peixoto, leaving him without a team.

If Eckert is given a lengthy suspension, Edwards is apparently in the running, with FLW’s Southampton fan pundit supporting the move.

When asked if the former Wolves manager’s move to the South Coast would exacerbate his departure from Riverside, FLW’s Borough fan commentator Liam Day responded negatively.He said, “This would just make the situation funnier for me because he’s an awful coach.”He made a decent start at Borough.

I believe he is a decent defensive coach, but no club near the top of the Championship should consider him. After his work at Wolves, he has a tendency to depart teams quickly when given the opportunity.I don’t quite grasp their reasoning behind this.

I don’t think he has a similar playing style to Tonda, so switching it up mid-season seems a little strange to me. I don’t really understand that, but if they do, that’s their choice, and I believe it’s destroying their own club, so I’d actually encourage them to do it.”

How did Edwards perform at Middlesbrough?

Edwards had an immediate impact on Teesside, scoring 18 points in his first nine games as Borough appeared to be serious promotion candidates.

Middlesbrough failed to win their next seven games, gaining only 11 points, with a 3-0 loss to Watford sparking concerns about the head coach’s tactics and substitutions.

When he left Borough in early November, the team was in third place and still on track for promotion, leaving Kim Hellberg to pick up the pieces and lead them to the play-offs.

While there were some worries about Edwards’ ability to maintain Boro’s early-season form, he did an adequate job, averaging 1.81 points per game before leaving abruptly.

Edwards’ Record at Borough (Transfermarkt)

Total

Matches

Wins

Draws: 5; Losses: 3; Points: 29.

Points per Match (PPM)

1.81

However, because he departed his position so early in the season, it is impossible to measure or even predict how far he would have carried the team.

Would Edwards be a good match with Southampton?

While there is definitely some resentment about Edwards leaving Middlesbrough in such a rush, Saints would undoubtedly have no such problem if he were hired on a temporary basis.

Clearly, there are some contrasts between how the Welshman and Eckert operate, with the former preferring three at the back and the latter now using a 4-2-3-1 configuration.

Southampton are likewise a great possession-based squad, although Edwards’ teams have not been as dominant, despite the fact that his jobs with Wolves and Luton Town were with lower-level Premier League clubs.

There is no doubting the 43-year-old’s record, as he led Forest Green Rovers to League One and the Hatters to the top tier, but he was also responsible for Luton’s demise.

With Southampton seeking for promotion, any decision on an interim head coach would be critical, and if it is only for a short time, they could do much worse than Edwards.