Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert has not suffered from the eavesdropping controversy but the club have, said Simon Jordan.

The FA confirmed its sentence for the 33-year-old on Wednesday evening, granting him a six-week suspended football ban despite originally seeking for a 16-week suspension.

That means Saints head coach will be in the dugout this weekend for their game with bitter rivals Pompey.

He was thought to be heading for a lengthy ban for his part in the spying incident that denied the club a go at promotion last season.

The Hampshire outfit were found guilty of breaking the EFL’s rules on spying on opposition training sessions, which led to their removal from the play-offs.

Southampton also received a four point deduction punishment from the league for this campaign, which then led to the FA starting an investigation into the situation.

Simon Jordan Tonda Eckert penalty claims

Jordan believes Eckert has suffered nothing at all with this sentence, but that the club have been through enough already, so it’s time for everyone to move on, especially considering the precedent that was created when Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United side were also caught spying on rivals.

He likened the episode to the Premier League case against Manchester City which has been rumbling on for several years, suggesting that this spying allegation is much more tame.

“He has not suffered but the club has and that’s enough.” Jordan told talkSPORT

“And the FA did not need to make a name for themselves.

There was already precedent created when [Marcelo] Bielsa virtually received a pat on the back so with that in mind I believed there was a big overreach on the repercussions that Southampton were sanctioned under.

“We were wondering how the Premier League would cope with their particular problem which was infinitely worse than anything Southampton have done.

“So I think that’s enough, I don’t think it’s inappropriate to light a lot on the irony of it but we move on now.

“He’s been sanctioned now, people will have their own views on whether it was enough, whether he showed genuine contrition, whether that was like a replica in Blade Runner, reading a statement, who knows.”

Eckert was appointed at Southampton in November after the sacking of Will Still and was initially given the post of temporary head coach.

The German was given the permanent job after a good run of form and led the squad to a fourth place finish in the Championship.

But the espionage controversy saw them booted out of the play-offs, despite reaching the final with a 2-1 aggregate win over Middlesbrough in the semi-finals.

Southampton eye promotion

Southampton started this season four points behind the other 23 clubs because of their penalty points deduction.

However, the Saints are already 13th in the Championship league, only seven points behind leaders Swansea City after eight games.

Southampton’s last five league games

Opponent (Home or Away)

Outcome

Wrexham (away)

2-1 defeat

Bristol City (A)

4-1 Victory

Swansea City (Home)

win 3-1

Lincoln City (away)

1-1

Birmingham City (A)

1-1

Eckert will be looking to bring the club back to the Premier League at the second time of asking. He will be helped by the extension of the play-offs to include two extra sides.

The Hampshire outfit face their bitterest of rivals Portsmouth at home on Sunday, with a 12pm kick-off.

Tonda Eckert ruling brings espionage scandal to a close

It was a huge moment for the owners and for Southampton but they handled the storm rather well and now everyone can move on after this FA judgement.

It would have been a double blow for the Saints had he been suspended for a long period of time, it would also have meant a new management coming in.

And it would have been unjust on the club, who supported Eckert in the months after their ejection from the play-offs.

The 33-year-old has apologised for the incident and a suspended punishment from the FA is a move that makes sense.