Tonda Eckert

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, bangkoksaint said:

I think his appointment will cost Dragan literally millions - no return to the PL, ST holders not renewing, crowds dwindling and having to pay him off and get yet another team in. 

His fault for not learning from umpteen mistakes and continuing to listen to that Danish fraud and layabout the entire time. 

[Saint NL]

14 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

If this was Spors appointment then that’s two in seven months that are awful

Tonda is the Damion Downs of Managers tbf

[coalman]

4 minutes ago, bangkoksaint said:

I think his appointment will cost Dragan literally millions - no return to the PL, ST holders not renewing, crowds dwindling and having to pay him off and get yet another team in. 

The good news is they haven't bothered to hire a coaching team in around Eckert so at least we won't have to pay early termination of their contracts.

[ally_uk]

Get Carick in.... 

[Mr X]

8 minutes ago, Greenridge said:

You didn’t have to be Nostradamus to predict what we’re now seeing. It was as obvious as night following day. 
 

If so many could see it playing out this way, how come the ‘experts’ at SFC couldn’t? 

They saw a quick (and cheap!) win in Tonda, clearly got carried away by the mini run of wins.... No doubt they will throw him under the bus eventually but it certainly won't be this season

[Harry_SFC]

2 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

Get Carick in.... 

Carrick plays the exact same type of football as Tonda 

[Mr X]

1 minute ago, Harry_SFC said:

Carrick plays the exact same type of football as Tonda 

Anti football? 

[Mboto Gorge]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Carrick plays the exact same type of football as Tonda 

Who would you rather work for or listen to? Someone who’s played at the highest level, with several years experience managing at this level and a solid record to boot, who knows the league and would have decent contacts and earn respect . Or Tonda Eckert?

Edited yesterday at 17:51 by Mboto Gorge

[Mboto Gorge]

13 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

His fault for not learning from umpteen mistakes and continuing to listen to that Danish fraud and layabout the entire time. 

I’m getting to the point I actually want Dragan to go bust, he deserves to for the shocking decline of this club that he’s presided over with an unbelievable amount of disastrous decisions across many aspects of the club. Absolute buffoon 

Edited yesterday at 17:55 by Mboto Gorge

[Willo of Whiteley]

Get Rasmus out.

Get Tonda out.

[SouSaint]

Well this is looking like another terrible SR appointment. 

[Gloucester Saint]

3 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Who would you rather work for or listen to? Someone who’s played at the highest level, with several years experience managing at this level and a solid record to boot, who knows the league and would have decent contacts and earn respect . Or Tonda Eckert?

I still don’t want any of the plastic Peps around - Martin, Eckert, Chris Davies (Brum fans are taking aim at it - more bollocks than our dead sheep), Maresca, Carrick. 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

I dont get how he's done a complete 180 from the first few games in terms of gameplay and tactics.

[Mboto Gorge]

Just now, Gloucester Saint said:

I still don’t want any of the plastic Peps around - Martin, Eckert, Chris Davies (Brum fans are taking aim at it - more bollocks than our dead sheep), Maresca, Carrick. 

I get that completely but if it was a choice of the 2, it would be Carrick every day, ideally I want neither too. 

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Mboto Gorge said:

I get that completely but if it was a choice of the 2, it would be Carrick every day, ideally I want neither too. 

I see what you’re saying, but it’s Bazunu v McCarthy again. I understand why Carrick is known to be liked by SR board though given the watching paint dry/over 60s walking playing style.

[coalman]

1 minute ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

I dont get how he's done a complete 180 from the first few games in terms of gameplay and tactics.

Everyone had a point to prove after Still left that he was the problem. Now we had a decent start under Eckert we can safely return to our previous no intensity complacency.

[AlexLaw76]

6 minutes ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

I dont get how he's done a complete 180 from the first few games in terms of gameplay and tactics.

Well, he has t has he, teams have just sussed it and very quickly.

TE is just doing the exact same thing

[Mboto Gorge]

Has he given his reaction yet? I’m sure he will take the positives, while reminding us that we play to win every game. Clown

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 minute ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Has he given his reaction yet? I’m sure he will take the positives, while reminding us that we play to win every game. Clown

He’ll give the same shit he gave last time, and the time before that, and the time before that.

[Mboto Gorge]

1 minute ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

He’ll give the same shit he gave last time, and the time before that, and the time before that.

So his interviews are the same as his tactics and formations then? Identical every week regardless of the opponent. At least he’s consistent 

[bpsaint]

There was a point in the first half at home to West Brom when results were going our way and we were sat 6th in the live table. Since then we got battered and lost the second half 0-2 lucky not to end up with just a point, lost at relegation fighting Norwich and Oxford, earnt a draw at home to a Coventry side that had 10 men for most of the second half, struggled away to a makeshift Brum, and then struggled to a point at home to Millwall who have been on a dodgy run of form.

Theres no doubt this guy has run out of ideas and the job is far too big for him. It was fine whilst we were winning the first half’s but when that doesn’t work he has no idea how to change shape or personnel to swing it back in our favour.

Cant afford to give this guy a transfer window and then sack him once we lose at Fratton. Just put him back in charge of the U21s and get someone qualified in.

[Midfield_General]

12 minutes ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

I dont get how he's done a complete 180 from the first few games in terms of gameplay and tactics.

He hasn't. It's just not working anymore because he literally only has one idea of how to play, never changes it, and opposition managers have access to videos of our games. They've immediately worked out how to nullify it and now he has absolutely no idea what to do. 

[Football Special]

On 05/12/2025 at 14:45, Football Special said:

Well put. 

They must see something in him to think he's a genuine first team manager but it's a huge gamble.

Winning 4 in a row was great, but what happens if we now lose 4 in a row? If the 4 wins got him the job do the 4 defeats get him sacked? 

I said previously that he reminded me of Selles and more so as time goes by, looks a bit lost out on the touch line looking at his iPad. 
 

Time is up for Sports Republic, endless run of appalling decisions , this will be another one. 
 

should have just gone for Rohl I think 

[Badger]

26 minutes ago, Football Special said:

should have just gone for Rohl I think 

This for me remains the stupidity of the last 9 months, and critical question of Spors. Rohl seemed the obvious and outstanding option.

To appoint Still defied belief, to keep him in place as long as we did just compounded the stupidity, especially when Rohl was still available and it was clear Saints under Still were coming off the rails. 
 

Why??? In more recent weeks and our return to the slow ponderous style, I wonder if Rohl wanted to play his way and not follow a SR blueprint. 
 

 

[Badger]

For Tonda, I don’t think Saints could not offer him the permanent role after his results, but mystery is why the style has gone backwards since.
 

Big fear was the job was too big for him at this stage of his career. Hope he sorts it, but relying on some of our team and the January recruitment is a tall order. 

[Badger]

41 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

He hasn't. It's just not working anymore because he literally only has one idea of how to play, never changes it, and opposition managers have access to videos of our games. They've immediately worked out how to nullify it and now he has absolutely no idea what to do. 

interesting but this is largely the same criticism of Carrick at Middlesbrough, and from a Wolves supporter re Gary O’Neil. Could throw in criticism of his substitutions for Carrick as well. 
 

I’m still waiting for a manager with a ‘Plan B’ , but they’re not in plentiful supply it seems. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 hour ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Has he given his reaction yet? I’m sure he will take the positives, while reminding us that we play to win every game. Clown

Yep, he thought it wasn’t a bad game.

[Roger]

How long will they give Tonda? 

[Sheaf Saint]

On 06/12/2025 at 13:05, stknowle said:

I’m going to nail my negative colours to the mast and say this is going to turn out to be another massive mistake. And yes I really do hope I am wrong. Sorry!!

Sadly, you weren't wrong. It was another massive mistake. And it was so predictable and avoidable as well.

[Sheaf Saint]

49 minutes ago, Badger said:

interesting but this is largely the same criticism of Carrick at Middlesbrough, and from a Wolves supporter re Gary O’Neil. Could throw in criticism of his substitutions for Carrick as well. 
 

I’m still waiting for a manager with a ‘Plan B’ , but they’re not in plentiful supply it seems. 

I'd settle for one who at least tries to do something different when the setup clearly isn't working. Even if that doesn't work either, at least there would be some recognition that something needs tweaking. 

To just keep persisting with the same system over and over, despite all the available evidence pointing towards it not working, and then claim afterwards that he's happy with the performances... it's fucking insane.

Edited yesterday at 19:45 by Sheaf Saint

[Lee On Solent Saint]

All part of a plan to get Llanana in as manager next season.

[Willo of Whiteley]

29 minutes ago, Roger said:

How long will they give Tonda? 

End of the season

[Badger]

11 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

All part of a plan to get Llanana in as manager next season.

I was surprised he wasn’t put straight in. Strangely I think he’d have been a less popular choice than Tonda. 

[AlexLaw76]

What I find the most odd part of it all, the demand on THB and Manning to be so creative. 
Just fucking weird.

[Midfield_General]

16 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What I find the most odd part of it all, the demand on THB and Manning to be so creative. 
Just fucking weird.

And in the meantime, let's take a look at how he's utilised one of the few players we have who actually does have standout creative quality and can unlock defences, Leo Scienza, over the important Christmas period:

- vs. Oxford: Subbed him off on 55 minutes, with the game in the balance at 1-1 and us needing a goal, presumably to 'keep him fresh for the next match'. We went on not to score any more goals and to lose the actual game we were playing in at the time against Oxford 2-1.

- vs. Birmingham: The game he was presumably 'keeping him fresh' for. He dropped him to the bench, so he didn't get on the pitch at all until the 58th minute. So we kept him fresh in order to play him for just over half an hour, by which time we were a goal down and chasing the game. Final score, 1-1.

- vs. Millwall: Subbed him off at half-time, with the score at 0-0 and with us needing to find a way to break them down. Presumably to 'keep him fresh' for the Boro game? Final score, 1-1.

So this genius's management of our star player, and probably the best player in the division, has seen him only have him on the pitch for just over half the available time he could have been trying to win matches for us, and this visionary 'managing of minutes', against two teams below us in the league and one not in the play-off places, has delivered a whopping 2 points from 9. 

And meanwhile our only other real standout creative attacking talent, Fellows, is being instructed to spend half his time defending. 

What a manager. 

[Wade Garrett]

Part of the issue for me is that he is another data guy who never played the game.

I would like to take all those fucking iPads and laptops at St Mary’s and chuck them in a skip.  Scienza’s a bit tired - get him off!  The defenders that are marking him are absolutely fucked, so don’t make it easier for them.

Too many fucking nerdy twats being listened to.  It’s the SR way.  Bunch of fucking idiots, the lot of them.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Ipswich’s team didn’t change much over the Christmas. Didn’t they win all their games?

Just saying

[saintant]

Eckert is doing himself no favours if he wants to continue making a living from coaching football. Rather than try different formations and in game tactical switches he just does the same thing over and over for each match. He's not learning anything, he's not developing a wealth of ideas and game changing theories for his memory bank to call on in the future. He's just proving he's a one trick pony and stunting his development so he'll become just another drab coach with no talent nor the ability to learn from mistakes and from what works. Good luck Tonda because you are headed for the growing pile of charlatan coaches along with the likes of Selles, Still and many others. Maybe these guys just don't have it in them but my gut tells me they could do a whole lot better if they were more willing to navigate away from their safe, zero risk attitudes and demonstrated they can grow rather than wilt because they don't have the balls to go for broke.

[WALK DMC]

17 minutes ago, saintant said:

Eckert is doing himself no favours if he wants to continue making a living from coaching football. Rather than try different formations and in game tactical switches he just does the same thing over and over for each match. He's not learning anything, he's not developing a wealth of ideas and game changing theories for his memory bank to call on in the future. He's just proving he's a one trick pony and stunting his development so he'll become just another drab coach with no talent nor the ability to learn from mistakes and from what works. Good luck Tonda because you are headed for the growing pile of charlatan coaches along with the likes of Selles, Still and many others. Maybe these guys just don't have it in them but my gut tells me they could do a whole lot better if they were more willing to navigate away from their safe, zero risk attitudes and demonstrated they can grow rather than wilt because they don't have the balls to go for broke.

II don't think it is completely fair to say that he doesn't make in-game tactical switches. Against Millwall, he moved THB to the centre of the 3, with Wood on the right. I think that he wanted THB in the centre as he is the best passer of the three.  At H-T he switched it again, so that THB remained in the centre, but Stephens moved to the right.  In the last 20 minutes or so, Stephens moved to a position close to Right Back, with Fellows ahead of him. It was close to a back 4.     

I think our issue is that we have a very small team and the Centre halves are our only 3 tall/physical players. I suspect that he keeps with playing 3 centre halves because of this. Even with these three, we're pretty awful at defending set-pieces (even on Saturday we had a few moments that we got away with). 

I'm not defending Tonda - When he took over from Still, I thought that at last we'd at last consistently play a back 4. I was in despair for that first game v QPR when he trotted out a back 5 AND brought Bazunu back. We very rarely control a game for any length of time (even when we were winning his first few games). I'd like to have another midfielder so that we actually dominate the ball and play the game in the opponents half rather than spending long periods where our dodgy defence are under pressure. Again though, none of Downes, Bragg or Jander are physically imposing. I'd like to get a Victor Wanyama type to start bullying other teams. Shea Charles has been a loss as he is tall and physically strong and we've missed that. 

I just hope that he uses the Doncaster game to experiment with a back 4, with a proper right back (not Stephens ) and see if an extra man in midfield changes the dynamics on the pitch. 

 

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, WALK DMC said:

II don't think it is completely fair to say that he doesn't make in-game tactical switches. Against Millwall, he moved THB to the centre of the 3, with Wood on the right. I think that he wanted THB in the centre as he is the best passer of the three.  At H-T he switched it again, so that THB remained in the centre, but Stephens moved to the right.  In the last 20 minutes or so, Stephens moved to a position close to Right Back, with Fellows ahead of him. It was close to a back 4.     

I think our issue is that we have a very small team and the Centre halves are our only 3 tall/physical players. I suspect that he keeps with playing 3 centre halves because of this. Even with these three, we're pretty awful at defending set-pieces (even on Saturday we had a few moments that we got away with). 

 

I'm not sure if the bold bit is in jest or not, but if not surely you can see the horrendousness of this?

To tweak our approach and to encourage us to win a game and score goals, he moved our 3 CB's around. Just think about that for a second.

Not once did he think, let's go 2 at back, stick some more players further up, or play Fellows and Leo wide at the same time. No, not once. The only tweaks he made was moving the 3 CB's around.

A lot is being said that we have very small CB's. We don't. We have fairly average hight CB's, and an absolute monster in Quarshie at 1.95cm or something like that. This isn't about a lack of height, or a lack of ability. It's just a really, really bizarre SR Group wide approach to playing system that is replicated and embedded at all of their clubs, and all age groups at their clubs.

[WALK DMC]

6 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I'm not sure if the bold bit is in jest or not, but if not surely you can see the horrendousness of this?

To tweak our approach and to encourage us to win a game and score goals, he moved our 3 CB's around. Just think about that for a second.

Not once did he think, let's go 2 at back, stick some more players further up, or play Fellows and Leo wide at the same time. No, not once. The only tweaks he made was moving the 3 CB's around.

A lot is being said that we have very small CB's. We don't. We have fairly average hight CB's, and an absolute monster in Quarshie at 1.95cm or something like that. This isn't about a lack of height, or a lack of ability. It's just a really, really bizarre SR Group wide approach to playing system that is replicated and embedded at all of their clubs, and all age groups at their clubs.

I nearly did make a comment about moving deckchairs on the titanic when I wrote that 😀 

 I think going to a back 4 for the last 20 minutes was a more significant change and actually thought that the team played better during that period.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying that our centre halves are small, just that we have a lack of physicality across the whole team. By removing one of the centre halves we reduce our size/height further. As I said in my last paragraph, I believe that is a risk worth taking.

 

[Scummer]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Not once did he think, let's go 2 at back, stick some more players further up, or play Fellows and Leo wide at the same time. No, not once. The only tweaks he made was moving the 3 CB's around.

A lot is being said that we have very small CB's. We don't. We have fairly average hight CB's, and an absolute monster in Quarshie at 1.95cm or something like that. This isn't about a lack of height, 

As the post you were replying to said, we did change the formation. Fellows in particular was playing far higher up the pitch, with Stephens covering the right side of defence. 

Also, it's not the height of our centre backs that's the issue. It's the rest of our team, which we are trying to compensate for by playing three centre backs. Even then, Millwall had a significant height advantage over us. Outside of those 3, I'm not sure we even have anyone else that's much taller than about five foot ten

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, WALK DMC said:

I nearly did make a comment about moving deckchairs on the titanic when I wrote that 😀 

 I think going to a back 4 for the last 20 minutes was a more significant change and actually thought that the team played better during that period.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying that our centre halves are small, just that we have a lack of physicality across the whole team. By removing one of the centre halves we reduce our size/height further. As I said in my last paragraph, I believe that is a risk worth taking.

 

I don't disagree that we have a lack of physicality throughout the spine of the team, it's been a big issue for many many years - I thought we were looking to fix that when I heard Spors initial comments and the arrivals of Quarshie and Downs, but they couldn't have gone much more wrong had we tried - so I'm not entirely sure what our plan is now, because how we are playing is entirely at odds with what Spors said in the summer and what Will Still said he was looking to implement in the summer.

I'd also say that defensively, even with those 3 CB's to add 'extra' height in the side, we are still painfully woeful defensively - especially from set pieces and marking in our box, so I'd certainly take the risk and flip one CB for more of a balanced approach in the areas which entertain.

[S-Clarke]

5 minutes ago, Scummer said:

As the post you were replying to said, we did change the formation. Fellows in particular was playing far higher up the pitch, with Stephens covering the right side of defence. 

Also, it's not the height of our centre backs that's the issue. It's the rest of our team, which we are trying to compensate for by playing three centre backs. Even then, Millwall had a significant height advantage over us. Outside of those 3, I'm not sure we even have anyone else that's much taller than about five foot ten

I don't disagree with the lack of height across the side - I just replied to the other post about our lack of physicality through the spine - but if this is truly the case, and the 5 at the back is to temporarily compensate for that - why are they not fixing it? Why are we not linked with massive Central midfielders and huge CB's? 

I don't understand the club. I don't know what we're trying to do, what style we're trying to implement or what our grand plan is. We flip flop like the weather and it's no surprise the squad is as messed up as it is. I thought Spors would have given us clarity in that, but I think his wings have been clipped a bit.

[malcolm waldron]

The lack of physicality is a key part in our current malaise for me.  As someone said above, we were promised by Spors that this would be addressed last summer and without checking weren't Quarshie and Downs two of the first signings?  So taller and (in one case) more physical players - but both of them wholly unready for the jobs they needed to do starting in August.  Apart from the CBs looking at the team yesterday everyone (bar Azaz) isn't tall compared to the opposition, especially in midfield), nor physical (Azaz despite his height isn't that too) and so another black mark against our recruitment.

[saintant]

1 hour ago, WALK DMC said:

II don't think it is completely fair to say that he doesn't make in-game tactical switches. Against Millwall, he moved THB to the centre of the 3, with Wood on the right. I think that he wanted THB in the centre as he is the best passer of the three.  At H-T he switched it again, so that THB remained in the centre, but Stephens moved to the right.  In the last 20 minutes or so, Stephens moved to a position close to Right Back, with Fellows ahead of him. It was close to a back 4.     

I think our issue is that we have a very small team and the Centre halves are our only 3 tall/physical players. I suspect that he keeps with playing 3 centre halves because of this. Even with these three, we're pretty awful at defending set-pieces (even on Saturday we had a few moments that we got away with). 

I'm not defending Tonda - When he took over from Still, I thought that at last we'd at last consistently play a back 4. I was in despair for that first game v QPR when he trotted out a back 5 AND brought Bazunu back. We very rarely control a game for any length of time (even when we were winning his first few games). I'd like to have another midfielder so that we actually dominate the ball and play the game in the opponents half rather than spending long periods where our dodgy defence are under pressure. Again though, none of Downes, Bragg or Jander are physically imposing. I'd like to get a Victor Wanyama type to start bullying other teams. Shea Charles has been a loss as he is tall and physically strong and we've missed that. 

I just hope that he uses the Doncaster game to experiment with a back 4, with a proper right back (not Stephens ) and see if an extra man in midfield changes the dynamics on the pitch. 

 

You make some good points and many of us continually point out that we are a very small, weak side apart from the centre backs. This is a major problem yet we hear the club saying they don't expect to be doing much business in the Jan window which frankly is bonkers.

[Tommy Mulgrew]

Azaz has the physicality of a gnat and the speed of a sloth; he epitomises one of the major flaws of our squad.  He has not so far lived up to the promise of him as a game-changer for us.  Unlike Scienza and Fellowes, who both have.  But they cannot do it on their own, especially if only one of them is on the pitch at the same time.

The games we played before Honda was confirmed as a permanent coach were the most pleasing for several years.  We were sharp and incisive and moved forward at speed, by both running with the ball at opposition players and passing incisively to willing runners attacking the oppo’s goal.  We have since then lost all sense of urgency.  We have stopped being a Honda team and become a Lada (or Reliant Robin) one.  True, other managers have set up cleverly to negate our forward momentum but our players show no urgency at all for about an hour and a half each game.  That and not merely well-coached opponents is why we look so poor.  Take the last game as an example: for the first 90 minutes Millwall looked more likely to score than we did.  They had more shots, more shots on target and more touches in the opposition box than we did; they moved from defence to attack swiftly and effectively.  All while playing an essentially defensive game and not really looking to threaten our net much at all.  Only in the last few minutes of extra time did we look remotely like scoring a goal.  Only then did we resemble the free-playing, attacking team that scored for fun just a month or so ago.

Now that the festive flurry of games is nearly over, the time has surely come to abandon the boring, slow, ponderous baiting of the opposition’s press and walking pace efforts of moving the ball forwards when we do occasionally break free and trust ourselves to rapidly threaten the oppo’s goal.  When we do that we look like a team that everyone on here wants to support, one that plays exciting, attacking football, always looking to outscore our opponents, even if we do concede a goal or two.

We have tried to protect our goal at the cost of sacrificing our attacking intent; it does not work.  The present negative and turgid rubbish being served up has got us hardly any points and is alienating most fans.  Ditch it, Tonda or your short-lived Championship managerial career will soon be over.

[StrangelyBrown]

Tonda desperately needs a really strong experienced number 2 - someone who has been around the game for a long time and who has a different / contrasting view of how to set teams up.

Last time we appointed someone to fit that profile somehow we ended up with Paul Trollope so I'm not hopeful we'll get the right man...

[Whitey Grandad]

4 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Ipswich’s team didn’t change much over the Christmas. Didn’t they win all their games?

Just saying

"Nothing beats a settled team"

[Willo of Whiteley]

11 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

"Nothing beats a settled team"

“Tonda Eckhart laughs as he dips his hand back in the tombola to reveal Ryan Fraser as our centre back for Middlesbrough”. 😂