Eckert faces Southampton sack and ban from FA as own players fume | OneFootball

Southampton are reportedly considering sacking manager Tonda Eckert for bringing the game into disrepute after his side were expelled from the Championship Playoff Final on Saturday.

Sources close to the owner of the club, Dragan Solak, have said that he will be “furious” with the German, with players also reported to share his feeling and even considering legal action due to a loss of earnings.

The Saints were removed from the final at Wembley for spying on fellow Championship clubs Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and semi-final opponents Middlesborough and docked four points for next season by the EFL’s independent disciplinary commission at a hearing held yesterday.

According to the Independent, the tight-lipped Eckert could face action from the Football Association (FA) for misconduct in light of the incidents, including a lengthy ban from football if he is found to have brought the game into disrepute.

Speaking live on talkSPORT in reaction to the breaking news, journalist Adrian Durham sided with the decision made by the EFL to expel Southampton from competing at Wembley, claiming the Saints had no right to do so in the first place.

“I predicted this would happen. I knew this would happen. It had to happen. You can’t have rules that then get broken and there’s no punishment,” Durham said.

“I’m all for the EFL with this one. I think they have to do this. You have to have a play-off final, so I’m all for Middlesbrough being in that final. I have no problem with this whatsoever.

“And I heard Perry [Groves] saying that the reason Middlesbrough didn’t win the semi-final was because they couldn’t finish chances. Well, how on earth does he know that Southampton weren’t spying to try and see who was the weakest finisher?

“Let’s channel the ball in his direction and he’s probably not going to score. I mean, it’s just ludicrous to say that the spying hasn’t helped them. Of course it has.”

Rule E3 of the FA’s regulations, which covers incidents of misconduct, states that “a participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or which brings the game into disrepute.”

Middlesborough said in a statement that they “welcome the outcome”, after previously calling for Southampton to face punishment for breaching the EFL’s regulation, with their manager Kim Hellberg accusing them of cheating.

The Teeside club, who were defeated 2-1 on aggregate last week yet continued to train anticipating action from the EFL, have been reinstated in place of the Saints and will face off against Hull City for a place in next season’s Premier League.