Eckert Addresses Southampton Injuries, Momentum and Millwall Test

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·28 November 2025

Eckert Addresses Southampton Injuries, Momentum and Millwall Test

It’s been a hectic few weeks for interim boss Tonda Eckert, but the German has adapted and overcome many obstacles during his short tenure. Four wins on the bounce have defied almost everyone’s expectations, and another win this weekend would almost certainly guarantee him the job at St Mary’s.

This morning, he held a press conference ahead of the Millwall clash, revealing some positives, potentially pivotal drawbacks, and how he feels as the current Southampton manager.

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Injuries & Suspensions

After the 3-0 victory over Leicester, striker Damion Downs seemed to be limping off the pitch. Eckert confirmed this: “As it stands right now, it will be a big question mark behind Damion to make it for the game tomorrow.”

Alongside the American’s injury, many players are still out for some time. These were:

Samuel Edozie
Elias Jelert
Ross Stewart
Shea Charles
Mads Roerslev

The German further went on to say key player Leo Scienza is in doubt for tomorrow: “We do have a question mark behind Leo, because he has reported sick this morning, so he won’t be training today.”

Midfielder Flynn Downes has hit the five-yellow card mark, meaning he will be suspended this Saturday. Considering he was establishing himself back into the team, it’ll be a tough one to take for the 26-year-old. But it’s another opportunity for midfielder Cameron Bragg to shine, who slotted into the side perfectly against Charlton.

There was a spark for Saints fans, however, with experience and fan-favourite players returning…

“Good news is that Ryan Fraser is going to be back.” “And to end off on a very good news, Oriol’s going to be in the matchday squad tomorrow”.

It’s expected he’ll be on the bench, but the Spanish midfielder will provide a huge morale boost to both the squad and the travelling fans. His vital experience will be crucial heading into the daunting Christmas period.

Eckert’s Thoughts

When asked about his possibility of becoming the permanent head coach, Eckert opened up a little more than previously. He revealed why he’s kept his focus on the matches ahead rather than tempting the media with off-pitch concerns, stating:

“I often think that’s the best thing you can do, not just as a manager but also as a player. I think for the whole team, the games have been speaking for themselves.”

On Wednesday, the fans showed gratitude towards the German, chanting ‘Tonda, Tonda, give us a wave’. His ability to get results has ignited hope on the South Coast after a dreadful start to the season. Eckert returned that gratitude:

“I think for coaches, that’s why we do the job in the end to give joy, to create some enthusiasm, some positivity for the supporters. To be fair, I don’t read much, I try to block that off, and there’s also not the time to be on social media. But those feelings at the stadium they mean a lot.”

Many fans will be sceptical, given Sport Republic’s previous failures of appointments, but he’s come in, steadied the ship and advanced the style of play to a level that hasn’t been seen since Russell Martin in the Championship.

In just a few weeks, the Saints have scored thirteen goals, gained twelve points and have a philosophy that fully embodies pragmatism. Eckert understands that each team will occupy different spaces on the pitch and leave vulnerabilities elsewhere. He has aimed to maintain a foundation of consistent style while playing to each team’s weaknesses, rather than focusing too much on one or the other.

While momentum is fully in their swing, and luck has been on their side, he’s been able to instil a winning mentality – one that doesn’t settle for one goal but instead pushes on to finish their opponents. However, it will be interesting to see the response if his side goes down. Each game has resulted in the Saints scoring first, but being able to persevere when losing is a test that could make or break his time as Southampton manager.

It will truly indicate where the players are at the moment. Times last season – and the season prior – have shown significant struggle when going down. Confidence dampens, desire weakens. His side has admittedly looked – even slightly – weaker when conceding. But they’re one of the most in-form teams in the division and will need to utilise that momentum for as long as possible.

On Facing Millwall

The 32-year-old realises the task at hand as his men travel to The Den. Facing Alex Neil will be a challenge, but one he hopes to come out on top of, he said:

“Excellent manager. I remember playing him when he was at Preston. I think they are very well prepared and have a clear identity in what they do. I watched their game on Wednesday night, and it’s going to be a big challenge for us. I think we can overcome every challenge in the Championship.”

Tonda Eckert has made many changes to their in-possession shape and movements. From Taylor Harwood-Bellis coming into the midfield to Adam Armstrong dropping deep to allow space in-behind – space he’d usually be targeting.

Games are often decided out of possession, though. Teams can dictate play by forcing certain passes, triggering timed presses, and limiting the opposition’s involvement in your defensive third. Eckert hopes his side will utilise their moments without the ball. He mentioned:

“But there will be moments in the game where we also need to suffer and do our work. Especially when we don’t have the ball. If we manage to control those moments, then I think we have a good chance of taking something home.”