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#Post#: 106485--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: Joecphillips
Date: May 21, 2026, 1:31 pm
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Southampton's spying on rival clubs was authorised by head coach
Tonda Eckert and was a "contrived and determined plan from the
top down to gain a competitive advantage", an independent
disciplinary panel says.
HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cdepxek43gyo
#Post#: 106488--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: Failed Ref
Date: May 21, 2026, 2:11 pm
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If the Football Regulator does nothing else, he or she must
ensure that a proper whistle blowing process is available to all
football club employees. It is unacceptable for junior members
of staff to feel forced to do something which they believe to be
wrong.
Southampton FC have some work to do to restore faith in the
club.
#Post#: 106489--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: TA_Ref
Date: May 21, 2026, 2:11 pm
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Upon reading some of the comments from the commission, I do hope
William Salt (the intern who was sent to do the spying) gets all
the support he needs from this whole operation.
Some of the comments I’ve seen are
- Salt refused to spy on Ipswich
- Judges said pressure put on interns by senior staff to spy
‘deplorable’
- Junior staff ‘put under pressure to carry out actives they
thought were morally wrong’
Really saddening to hear. A poor young man, as an intern working
in a field that he’s probably dreamt about during his life so
far, has been taken advantage of and been used to break EFL
regulations to cheat. Senior staff, which I imagine includes the
manager, have put this young man under such pressure to carry
out an act which brings disrepute to the club. I feel sorry for
the young man because all the spygate drama has had his name at
the forefront but you have to feel sympathy with him and the
senior staff that have put pressure on interns should he named,
shamed and punished.
#Post#: 106490--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: rustyref
Date: May 21, 2026, 4:33 pm
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--- Quote from: TA_Ref link ---
>
> Upon reading some of the comments from the commission, I do
hope William Salt (the intern who was sent to do the spying)
gets all the support he needs from this whole operation.
>
> Some of the comments I’ve seen are
> - Salt refused to spy on Ipswich
> - Judges said pressure put on interns by senior staff to spy
‘deplorable’
> - Junior staff ‘put under pressure to carry out actives they
thought were morally wrong’
>
> Really saddening to hear. A poor young man, as an intern
working in a field that he’s probably dreamt about during his
life so far, has been taken advantage of and been used to break
EFL regulations to cheat. Senior staff, which I imagine includes
the manager, have put this young man under such pressure to
carry out an act which brings disrepute to the club. I feel
sorry for the young man because all the spygate drama has had
his name at the forefront but you have to feel sympathy with him
and the senior staff that have put pressure on interns should he
named, shamed and punished.
>
--- End Quote ---
Agree, it is extremely difficult for those that didn't play
professionally to break into the professional game, and once you
get in there it is pretty much a one and only chance. So I
can't really see anyone in his position refusing to do what he
was asked, no matter how morally wrong he thought it was.
The punishment has to be applied to those who asked him to told
it, and that should probably read told him to do it.
#Post#: 106491--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: TheThingFromLewes
Date: May 21, 2026, 5:03 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
All who were involved should be sacked and banned from all
footballing activities indefinitely.
As for the manager himself, his goose is well and truly cooked
and he won’t be in a dressing room orchestrating things for a
long long time.
#Post#: 106493--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: HChip
Date: May 22, 2026, 3:07 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Tonda Eckert has built an awful reputation for himself and I
think no matter how long a possible ban may be, it will be quite
hard for him to find a job in the future after all of this.
Disgusting behaviour, and it is good to see the EFL stamp their
feet down. Now all we need is Tonda Eckert to be removed from
his position at Southampton, as well as anyone else who came up
with and authorised this whole thing.
#Post#: 106495--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: ShoeRef
Date: May 22, 2026, 3:31 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: HChip link ---
>
> Tonda Eckert has built an awful reputation for himself and I
think no matter how long a possible ban may be, it will be quite
hard for him to find a job in the future after all of this.
>
> Disgusting behaviour, and it is good to see the EFL stamp
their feet down. Now all we need is Tonda Eckert to be removed
from his position at Southampton, as well as anyone else who
came up with and authorised this whole thing.
>
--- End Quote ---
If footballers can find jobs after committing crimes because of
their ability, then a man who has achieved what he has at
Southampton, rightly or wrongly, will have zero problem getting
another job after this. Regardless of your opinion of him, there
are plenty of people who think this has been blown out of
proportion and plenty of football club chairmen who will be
results driven and put that ahead of morals.
#Post#: 106498--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: bmb
Date: May 22, 2026, 6:59 am
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Not Tonda Eckert's first time allegedly...
HTML https://x.com/louorns/status/2057514582755754250?s=20
Cologne 2015
Germany 2014 World Cup
He was an analyst then.
#Post#: 106501--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: HChip
Date: May 22, 2026, 8:50 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: ShoeRef link ---
>
> [quote author=HChip link=topic=8002.msg106493#msg106493
date=1779437229]
> Tonda Eckert has built an awful reputation for himself and I
think no matter how long a possible ban may be, it will be quite
hard for him to find a job in the future after all of this.
>
> Disgusting behaviour, and it is good to see the EFL stamp
their feet down. Now all we need is Tonda Eckert to be removed
from his position at Southampton, as well as anyone else who
came up with and authorised this whole thing.
>
--- End Quote ---
If footballers can find jobs after committing crimes because of
their ability, then a man who has achieved what he has at
Southampton, rightly or wrongly, will have zero problem getting
another job after this. Regardless of your opinion of him, there
are plenty of people who think this has been blown out of
proportion and plenty of football club chairmen who will be
results driven and put that ahead of morals.
[/quote]
“ The key evidence was messages between Tonda Eckert and
analysts. There appears to have been pushback from the analysts,
‘I’m not sure we should be doing this, I don’t want to do this.’
“Eckert telling them to get on with it, telling them, ‘I hope
you come back with better stuff this time, because you didn’t
come back with great stuff the previous time.’”
[via @TheAthleticFC Podcast]
If that is true, it definitely will be hard for him to find
another job.
#Post#: 106502--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spygate 2.0 (Southampton)
DIR By: ShoeRef
Date: May 22, 2026, 9:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: HChip link ---
>
> [quote author=ShoeRef link=topic=8002.msg106495#msg106495
date=1779438716]
> [quote author=HChip link=topic=8002.msg106493#msg106493
date=1779437229]
> Tonda Eckert has built an awful reputation for himself and I
think no matter how long a possible ban may be, it will be quite
hard for him to find a job in the future after all of this.
>
> Disgusting behaviour, and it is good to see the EFL stamp
their feet down. Now all we need is Tonda Eckert to be removed
from his position at Southampton, as well as anyone else who
came up with and authorised this whole thing.
>
--- End Quote ---
If footballers can find jobs after committing crimes because of
their ability, then a man who has achieved what he has at
Southampton, rightly or wrongly, will have zero problem getting
another job after this. Regardless of your opinion of him, there
are plenty of people who think this has been blown out of
proportion and plenty of football club chairmen who will be
results driven and put that ahead of morals.
[/quote]
“ The key evidence was messages between Tonda Eckert and
analysts. There appears to have been pushback from the analysts,
‘I’m not sure we should be doing this, I don’t want to do this.’
“Eckert telling them to get on with it, telling them, ‘I hope
you come back with better stuff this time, because you didn’t
come back with great stuff the previous time.’”
[via @TheAthleticFC Podcast]
If that is true, it definitely will be hard for him to find
another job.
[/quote]
We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not saying he deserves
another job, but I'd be shocked if he didn't get one within a
year (assuming Southampton do get rid)
I'd also be inclined to ask why the analysts didn't seek
guidance from other senior people at the club if they had
realised it was wrong and expressed concern.
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