Southampton told to avoid controversial John Mousinho move if Tonda Eckert's banned | OneFootball

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho is the bookies' favourite to replace Tonda Eckert at Southampton if the German is handed an FA ban

Southampton will have to appoint a new head coach ahead of next season if current boss Tonda Eckert is banned for his involvement in the 'Spygate' saga.

The Saints were kicked out of the Championship play-offs after intern analyst William Salt was caught spying on a Middlesbrough training session ahead of the first leg of their semi-final.

Eckert's side have also been handed a two-point deduction ahead of next season, after the Disciplinary Commission also found out that they had spied on Oxford United and Ipswich Town training sessions during the regular campaign.

Southampton boast aspirations of returning to the Premier League following their relegation in 2025, but Eckert could be banned by the FA, which would give them a stumbling block.

Southampton reaction given to shock John Mousinho twist

While the Saints generated plenty of headlines for all the wrong reasons at the end of last season, South Coast rivals Portsmouth had a much quieter Championship campaign, finishing 18th.

Pompey have retained the services of boss John Mousinho, who was eyed by Bristol City before the Robins decided to appoint Michael Skubala instead.

In a surprising turn of events, Mousinho has now emerged as the bookmakers' favourite to replace Eckert at Southampton if the German is banned.

Football League World asked our Saints fan pundit, Louis Harris, if he would take the 40-year-old, or if his Portsmouth connection would put him off.

Harris told FLW: "Mousinho is a no for me. He's done well with Pompey. He's had the promotion, kept them in the Championship, but hasn't done enough, or hasn't done anything that makes me think he should be top of our list should Eckert get banned.

"On top of that, the Pompey connection, for me, just causes too much noise and, given recent events, that's the last thing we need right now.

"However, there is a small part of me that would like to see it happen. Just the uproar, just a little reminder of the pecking order of where they are on the South Coast."

Southampton will surely steer clear of John Mousinho

Mousinho has done a solid job at Portsmouth, and called for more investment from Pompey owner Michael Eisner after his team retained their Championship status for another season.

The 40-year-old has proven that he deserves an opportunity at a club who have loftier ambitions than second-tier survival, should Eisner fail to meet his investment demands.

Meanwhile, a move to local rivals Southampton would make logistical sense given their proximity.

However, as Harris' response to FLW's question outlined, the rivalry between the two clubs is a big one, and Mousinho swapping Fratton Park for St Mary's Stadium would cause uproar from both sets of supporters.

Although Mousinho is currently the bookmakers' favourite to replace Eckert if the German is handed an FA ban, the Saints are surely unlikely to actually pursue any deal for his services.

Large sections of the Southampton fan base would be heavily unconvinced by the former Oxford player's potential managerial arrival, and the atmosphere at St Mary's Stadium would become extremely toxic very quickly if results didn't go their way.