'What a mess' - Alan Pardew drops brutally honest Southampton FC claim | OneFootball

Alan Pardew feels Southampton's season will be impacted by their decision to stick with Tonda Eckert

Former Southampton manager Alan Pardew has branded the Saints a "mess" for sticking with Tonda Eckert this summer, following their 2-1 defeat on opening day against Watford.

Southampton were beaten by Championship opposition for the first time since January 17 on Sunday, as the Hornets ended their 21-game unbeaten run in league and play-off action.

However, the win for Alessio Dionisi's side was somewhat overshadowed by the ongoing saga surrounding last season's Spygate debacle, and what the outcome will be for Tonda Eckert's charges from the FA.

Southampton were expelled from the play-off last season after they were found guilty of spying on Middlesbrough's training session ahead of the semi-final clash. They were then docked four points to begin this year after admitting to spying on Oxford United and Ipswich Town ahead of league matches last season, too.

Alan Pardew gives brutal Southampton verdict following Watford defeat

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Speaking on talkSPORT's Final Word following Southampton's loss against Watford, former Saints boss Alan Pardew felt that a fresh start was needed in the dugout this summer to try and take away some of the controversy surrounding how last season ended.

Owner Dragan Solak backed Tonda Eckert early in the summer, but with the FA charges following and still unresolved, it's uncertain whether the German boss will be allowed to take charge of games at St Mary's.

"Southampton — what a mess," Pardew said. "I don't quite understand what the club are doing, if I'm honest.

"What's going on there? We have an FA charge against him. I thought if the FA charge him, probably the owner would relinquish his duties and bring in a fresh start.

"All the players are under him. They're all like, 'Did he let us down? Well, it was him, the manager, or was it me? Or did we know about it? And we didn't."

Alan Pardew speaks from experience as Southampton struggle to overturn points deficit on the opening day

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The 65-year-old is of the impression that Tonda Eckert's presence did have an impact on Southampton's performance at Vicarage Road on Sunday, but did have some empathy towards the Saints squad and the disadvantage they're already at due to the spygate punishment.

Southampton begins the campaign with a four-point deduction, meaning they're already seven points off the Championship summit after the opening day.

This isn't the first time that the Saints have begun a season on negative points, though. Indeed, Pardew was the manager in the 2009/10 campaign at St Mary's, which began with a 10-point deduction in League One due to ending the previous campaign in administration.

The Saints would have to wait eight games for their first league win that year, and wouldn't cross into a positive points tally until October. Pardew recognises that a points deduction provides its own pressure, which could have led to defeat at Watford.

"I started at Southampton with minus ten points in League One," he continued. "And I remember trying to get those ten points was very, very difficult.

"It made it harder, actually. It was extra pressure. You needed to get it out of the way. And they probably felt that today."

Southampton must overcome outside noise to achieve success on the field this season

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There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding whether Tonda Eckert will be able to coach Southampton, with the outcome of the FA charges still to be revealed.

Even if the German boss is allowed to remain in the St Mary's dugout, there'll still be reminders of spygate almost every game and especially at every away ground.

Numerous Watford fans were seen in the crowd doing the binoculars gesture, as was the Hornets' mascot pre-game. That won't stop, regardless of the outcome of the FA charges, and it adds an extra mental barrier that Southampton have to overcome this season.

Pardew's Saints side in the 2009/10 campaign got over that points deduction and administration fallout hump a few months into the season. They ended up winning the EFL Trophy, but were unable to finish in the play-offs due to the 10 points they were docked before the season started.

17 years later, they won't want a similar barrier stopping them from achieving promotion come May.