Southampton group technical director Johannes Spors says the Spygate scandal left him in a “difficult position” while he planned for the new season. He told BBC Radio Solent that few sporting directors have had to build a squad under that level of uncertainty.
In May, Southampton were thrown out of the Championship play-offs and docked four points after admitting they spied on three clubs during the season. A Football Association investigation followed, and head coach Tonda Eckert’s job was in question because it could have ended with a ban.
That worry hung over the start of the campaign. It ended in early October, when the FA fined Eckert £28,000 and handed him a six-week ban that is suspended until the end of next season. Southampton could have sacked him after he admitted his mistakes in May. Owner Dragan Solak and the board chose to give him a second chance.
“I only felt one choice and I’m happy that everybody around me, including Dragan Solak, was very aligned,” Spors said. “We decided to go this route (backing Eckert) and take it with all consequences and I’m happy we’ve done that.”
Spors was appointed in February 2025 and was closely involved in bringing Eckert to the club. He said the two have known each other for nearly 10 years, having worked together in Italy and at Red Bull. He said he helped develop parts of Eckert’s career, including his pro licence. They speak almost daily, Spors said, and are able to challenge each other in private.
He said he spent much of the summer trying to look after Eckert as a person. “We cannot forget that he’s a young man with a lot going on in his life, coming into a new country as an unknown and being on the highest level of recognition pretty quickly,” Spors said. He added that he brought in other people with specialist knowledge to support the coach.
The decision to stay loyal has been rewarded on the pitch so far. Southampton are eighth in the Championship after 11 matches and have the best home record in the league, with five wins and a draw from six games at St Mary’s.
Source: BBC Sport
