Tonda Eckert

[sockeye]

Interim manager for QPR.

32 years of age.

If he becomes permanent I'm going to go fucking apoplectic. 

[Badger]

Seems unfair to put this on him at an early stage of his career having seen how things worked out for Still 

[S-Clarke]

Never been a manager in his life, until we appointed him U21 manager. 

He has history as Assistant at Geona, under Viera (could be one to watch) and Barnsley in the Championship.

Other than that just analyst and coach roles for kids teams.

[Give it to Ron]

Plays 5 at back too….

[Gloucester Saint]

He sounds like one of the Marzen beers that was in my Oktoberfest Lidl pack.

Repeating the Selles mistake - marvellous. SR really are total cretins.

[trousers]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

Never been a manager in his life, until we appointed him U21 manager. 

 

[RedArmy]

It’s time for major protests if this guy is our next manager 

[aintforever]

Strange that Trollope and the Llama haven’t been put in charge.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Give it to Ron said:

Plays 5 at back too….

There’s a theme emerging @Smirking_Saint if that’s true…Saturday’s selection did not make sense in light of Still’s press conference beforehand. Could be on the manager and I’d never let a failed ownership group tell me what to do in my area of expertise, but easy to say where you’re older and more miles on the clock, rather than a kiddo in his early 30s (in such a high profile role).

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, aintforever said:

Strange that Trollope and the Llama haven’t been put in charge.

It’s a telling comment too.

[S-Clarke]

Just now, aintforever said:

Strange that Trollope and the Llama haven’t been put in charge.

It's because Tonda is being lined up to take over full time, this is his showcase game - much in the same way as Chelsea away was for Selles.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

It's because Tonda is being lined up to take over full time, this is his showcase game - much in the same way as Chelsea away was for Selles.

That’s Sheffield Wednesday and Saints down then.

[aintforever]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

It's because Tonda is being lined up to take over full time, this is his showcase game - much in the same way as Chelsea away was for Selles.

Nothing would surprise me with this bunch of clowns.

[LGTL]

13 minutes ago, sockeye said:

Interim manager for QPR.

32 years of age.

If he becomes permanent I'm going to go fucking apoplectic. 

Get ready to go fucking apoplectic…

[benali-shorts]

What we need right now is a young, inexperienced boss who has neither managed in England nor indeed anywhere. 
I assume he is Smithers to Spors’s Monty Burns. 

[sockeye]

1 minute ago, LGTL said:

Get ready to go fucking apoplectic…

Yup, not sure why I said 'if' really.

[SaintNewForest]

Oh god, I bloody hope we lose our next 2.

What we don't need is yet another SR masterclass in left field, rogue appointments.

[Gloucester Saint]

10 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

It's because Tonda is being lined up to take over full time, this is his showcase game - much in the same way as Chelsea away was for Selles.

Hope QPR win 5-0 and Weds beat us as well. Would be a fitting epitaph for these wankers.

[badgerx16]

So we go from a manager who never played to someone who has never managed. At this rate the next appointment could be somebody who has never seen a match.

[sockeye]

1 minute ago, badgerx16 said:

At this rate the next appointment could be somebody who has never seen a match.

Don't be silly, that's ownership material not mere management.

[S-Clarke]

IF Tonda is seriously being considered then Rasmus hands are all over this. He'll be pointing to the time he brought Thomas Frank in from their 'B Team' coach to replace Dean Smith.

Does he realise the entirely different contexts though? Dean Smith had built a strong Brentford, they had momentum and a good core - it was something a relatively inexperienced manager could adopt and grow with. 

If Tonda is put in place here it will end up as it did with Selles, there is no structure and nothing for an inexperienced manager to pickup and run with. He wouldn't have the nous to build it himself.

This is a huge job and it needs experience and a proven head. It's similar to when Pards came in, we needed someone who knew English football and could call out shit. That's the only sensible appointment at this stage - experience and knowledge of Enlgish football, someone who will gain respect of the players and the fans.

And that aint Tonda, he might be talented - but there's a time and a place for these sorts of ridiculous gambles, and it isn't now.

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, sockeye said:

Don't be silly, that's ownership material not mere management.

SR are now worse than Dale Vince - at least he got it right appointing Savage. Don’t like Savage as a person but he’s got a proper grounding as a manager and co-run a lower level club. Hence doing well albeit FGR have a good budget.

[qwertyell]

An anagram of Caked Rotten. Also Created Knot.

Noted Tacker. Is that a hint to some sort of Tika-Taka philosophy?

Kent Art Deco. The man's got architectural taste, perhaps?

Can't Deter K.O. doesn't auger well for cup competitions, though.

I don't know if this helps or not. 

[Saint NL]

Sounds like his first name is Japanese and his surname is German?

If my big book of stereotypes has taught me anything, it's that this guy is going to be efficient.

[James]

If they appoint this guy then you have to wonder if the Club is being actively sabotaged. I can’t think of what more you’d do if you actually wanted us to get relegated.

Edited Sunday at 20:12 by James

[Holmes_and_Watson]

17 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

Sounds like his first name is Japanese and his surname is German?

If my big book of stereotypes has taught me anything, it's that this guy is going to be efficient.

Will Tonda bring back Rento?

[Holmes_and_Watson]

51 minutes ago, sockeye said:

Interim manager for QPR.

32 years of age.

If he becomes permanent I'm going to go fucking apoplectic. 

Long time Saints fans, The Four Tops, felt the same about this season...

Going apoplectic up at Charlton Athletic
Another decision gone wrong
Yes, you'll be apoplectic up at Charlton Athletic
The hatred of SR is so strong

[Badger]

Found this:

https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2020/august/tonda-eckert/

Feel sorry for the bloke being thrown into this shitstorm of a club. 
 

Why haven’t they given this temporary role to Lallana? We can joke about him being a tool for how he left but he’s played at a high level etc so shouldn’t be phased by the pressure of taking the job on an interim basis, especially if he has ambitions as a coach. But to put Ekert in this position is pretty surprising, on a number of levels. 

[Lighthouse]

There's absolute no reason to think he's going to be our permanent manager, I don't know why so many people are having a tantrum. He's the interim, that's what happens when you sack someone.

[Galway saint]

We are going backwards in age. Has anyone ever managed a championship side in their twenties ? 
 

[Badger]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

There's absolute no reason to think he's going to be our permanent manager, I don't know why so many people are having a tantrum. He's the interim, that's what happens when you sack someone.

Why promote from U21s when you have retained more experienced staff at first team level ? 

[Osvaldorama]

 

3 minutes ago, Galway saint said:

We are going backwards in age. Has anyone ever managed a championship side in their twenties ? 
 

Maybe they’re going for a younger manager each time?

 

Saints manager 2027 - my 3 year old daughter 

Saints manager 2028 - my 1 year old 

 

Actually, they couldn’t do worse tbf

[Colinjb]

4 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

 

Maybe they’re going for a younger manager each time?

 

Saints manager 2027 - my 3 year old daughter 

Saints manager 2028 - my 1 year old 

 

Actually, they couldn’t do worse tbf

Would certainly be more productive dribbles.

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, sockeye said:

Interim manager for QPR.

32 years of age.

If he becomes permanent I'm going to go fucking apoplectic. 

Why have QPR appointed him? 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, aintforever said:

Strange that Trollope and the Llama haven’t been put in charge.

Yeah that gives impression they might be on their way as well? 

[Give it to Ron]

13 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

There's absolute no reason to think he's going to be our permanent manager, I don't know why so many people are having a tantrum. He's the interim, that's what happens when you sack someone.

You have seen the quotes tonight not rocket science to see why some see this as Selles 2

[Lee On Solent Saint]

13 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

There's absolute no reason to think he's going to be our permanent manager, I don't know why so many people are having a tantrum. He's the interim, that's what happens when you sack someone.

I wish I shared your confidence. The most telling thing for me is that there is no mention on the statement that the club is actively seeking a new manager. This is exactly the sort of thing SR do, appoint total no hopers in the hope that something sticks.

[Lighthouse]

12 minutes ago, Badger said:

Why promote from U21s when you have retained more experienced staff at first team level ? 

I have absolutely no idea and neither does anyone else on this forumor Twitter. It's a fudge, a stop gap until we appoint our next manager, for whatever reason TE is the man nominally in charge. The important thing is that Spors made a decision and Still has gone, so something is in motion.

[capitalsaint]

17 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

There's absolute no reason to think he's going to be our permanent manager, I don't know why so many people are having a tantrum. He's the interim, that's what happens when you sack someone.

"Eckert is highly regarded by the club and is a contender in the search for a permanent successor"

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6739294/2025/11/02/will-still-southampton-parts-ways-championship/?source=emp_shared_article

[HarvSFC]

Fully expected Lallana to be put in charge and have a repeat of the Dennis Wise situation, who threw his toys out of the pram at not getting the job full time. Guess we're stuck with him for a while longer.

[Give it to Ron]

4 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I have absolutely no idea and neither does anyone else on this forumor Twitter. It's a fudge, a stop gap until we appoint our next manager, for whatever reason TE is the man nominally in charge. The important thing is that Spors made a decision and Still has gone, so something is in motion.

Hope you are right and not a contender as stated - 

🚨 BREAKING: Southampton part ways with manager Will Still. 33yo appointed in May on 3yr contract but goes after 4 wins in 16 games. U21s head coach Tonda Eckert takes over as interim + contender in #SaintsFC search for permanent replacement @TheAthleticFC

[Badger]

6 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Fully expected Lallana to be put in charge and have a repeat of the Dennis Wise situation, who threw his toys out of the pram at not getting the job full time. Guess we're stuck with him for a while longer.

Might that depend on the new manager and who he wants as backroom staff?

Unless of course they won’t accept bringing their own team with them (as perhaps they did with Still)

[Holmes_and_Watson]

12 minutes ago, capitalsaint said:

"Eckert is highly regarded by the club and is a contender in the search for a permanent successor"

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6739294/2025/11/02/will-still-southampton-parts-ways-championship/?source=emp_shared_article

A massive reason for him not to get the job, right there.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

A massive reason for him not to get the job, right there.

Same as the club rates Gavin Bazunu etc

If the club hates someone’s, chances are they are the right appointment.

[Lighthouse]

11 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Hope you are right and not a contender as stated - 

🚨 BREAKING: Southampton part ways with manager Will Still. 33yo appointed in May on 3yr contract but goes after 4 wins in 16 games. U21s head coach Tonda Eckert takes over as interim + contender in #SaintsFC search for permanent replacement @TheAthleticFC

As stated by some random journalist. The guy has never managed first team football anywhere before, it wont be him.

[Give it to Ron]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

As stated by some random journalist. The guy has never managed first team football anywhere before, it wont be him.

You do realise who is doing the appointment?  You have more faith than me! Although would have him over Lego head rolling out the Rangers mentality line here

[SW11_Saint]

As mentioned above, Ornstein reporting he is a ‘serious contender’, and Alfie House on TSP mentioned he’d been brought in “with half an eye on Still going ‘tits up’”. 

This is SR, you just know it’s going to happen… Beyond belief (though of course it isn’t). 

 

[Saint86]

He's done very well with the U21s and he can't actually do worse than Still... but fucks sake SR, this is very underwhelming.

100% has the SR/Rasmus feel to it.

[SW11_Saint]

3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

As stated by some random journalist. The guy has never managed first team football anywhere before, it wont be him.

David Ornstein is definitely NOT a ‘random journalist’… 

[Nordic Saint]

Let's at least give him a chance and get behind the team. He's done a tremendous job with the U21s, and significantly improved players. Their win at Tottenham on Saturday took them up to 4th in Premier League 2. He was also a first team coach at Barnsley when they made the Championship play-offs in 2021.

He's certainly instilled some fighting spirit in that U21 team and he knows how to organise a defence as anyone who saw them battle to a draw against the superior players of Real Madrid can testify.

I'm expecting him to have a positive impact on our first team now, but, of course, he's still going to be hampered, as Will Still was, by Sport Republic's poor recruitment and the team's lack of a proper spine.

Anyway, it makes sense to have an interim appointment now as I'm sure Sport Republic weren't anticipating having to sack Will Still.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league-2/table

Edited Sunday at 21:51 by Nordic Saint