Tonda Eckert

[bpsaint]

6 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

The rotation excuse is bollocks, dunno why he’s taking advice from the same people that gave Ross Stewart the thumbs up on his medical.

Our promotion side under Adkins were fitter than this, and mostly featured the same players each match.

[Harry_SFC]

42 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

The rotation excuse is bollocks, dunno why he’s taking advice from the same people that gave Ross Stewart the thumbs up on his medical.

Our promotion side under Adkins were fitter than this, and mostly featured the same players each match.

Interesting that one of the main reasons Maresca left Chelsea is because he felt the Medical department were too instrumental in team selection. 

[Turkish]

18 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Interesting that one of the main reasons Maresca left Chelsea is because he felt the Medical department were too instrumental in team selection. 

Chelsea version of that is he was picking players against medical advise and they were getting more injuries 

[bugenhagen]

27 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Interesting that one of the main reasons Maresca left Chelsea is because he felt the Medical department were too instrumental in team selection. 

 

8 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Chelsea version of that is he was picking players against medical advise and they were getting more injuries 

There is to sides to this. If the medical team is concerned about a potential injury, then fair enough, but if it is to keep players fresh, then it should only be the managers decision if they play or not. Sadly, in our case we only have a head coach, so not really sure what he is allowed to do...

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, bugenhagen said:

 

There is to sides to this. If the medical team is concerned about a potential injury, then fair enough, but if it is to keep players fresh, then it should only be the managers decision if they play or not. Sadly, in our case we only have a head coach, so not really sure what he is allowed to do...

Say yes 

Edited Friday at 22:07 by Turkish

[Badger]

1 minute ago, bugenhagen said:

 

There is to sides to this. If the medical team is concerned about a potential injury, then fair enough, but if it is to keep players fresh, then it should only be the managers decision if they play or not. Sadly, in our case we only have a head coach, so not really sure what he is allowed to do...

Two sides certainly, but leaves me asking who is reporting to whom in these cases. In a traditional set up you’d expect the info to be passed to the manager (or head coach) to make the decision . 
 

Do the medics report directly to the DoF and they tell the manager who is available to him for selection ? If the manager looks to select someone the medics have concerns on do they go running to the DoF “ look Enzo/Tonda wants to play Ross Stewart or whoever …,”. 
 

Certainly grounds for internal friction if not all on board with it. Manager wants his best team, club want to protect asset value.

Perhaps things are different at SFC. Downs brings a note from his Mum asking if he can be left out of training or games as he has a ‘poorly tummy’.  

[AlexLaw76]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

Two sides certainly, but leaves me asking who is reporting to whom in these cases. In a traditional set up you’d expect the info to be passed to the manager (or head coach) to make the decision . 
 

Do the medics report directly to the DoF and they tell the manager who is available to him for selection ? If the manager looks to select someone the medics have concerns on do they go running to the DoF “ look Enzo/Tonda wants to play Ross Stewart or whoever …,”. 
 

Certainly grounds for internal friction if not all on board with it. Manager wants his best team, club want to protect asset value.

Perhaps things are different at SFC. Downs brings a note from his Mum asking if he can be left out of training or games as he has a ‘poorly tummy’.  

I should imagine the player has a say in this. 
 

id be stunned if a DoF is not all over this area of the club

Edited Friday at 22:18 by AlexLaw76

[Badger]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

I should imagine the player has a say in this. 

Yes. And his agent and team of advisers. 
 

And at our level probably more cautious on playing as the transfer window gets closer. 

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

I should imagine the player has a say in this. 

Didn’t Adkins once make reference to his time as a physio, and players asking him to ‘write them off’ ahead of some games at one point  ? 

[benali-shorts]

12 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Say yes 

Tonda Smithers to Johannes Burns 

[Willo of Whiteley]

Director of Football is just another way of saying Chief Football Meddler in charge of transfers, contracts and depending on where you are team sheet dictation.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

It would be interesting to know if there was friction over picking Stewart for that third game.

From Stoll's perspective, Stewart was his best option. He could say to SR that they were the ones that lumped him with Downs. Then left him with small strikers to get on the end of crosses.

I'd have thought any medical team would have raised flags over the load on Stewart. If not in immediate fitness, then in consideration of his injury record and recent maximum playing time.

From a club perspective their manager has possibly helped get one forward crocked again, while not wanting to play their new, keenly rated by someone in the club, asset.

[Midfield_General]

16 hours ago, Scummer said:

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

More genius recruitment work from ‘squad planning is an art’ Spors 

[SaintNewForest]

16 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

More genius recruitment work from ‘squad planning is an art’ Spors 

Hey hey, give him some slack; squad planning is an art that only becomes clear at the end.

Quite how you get to the end, with so much shit in the middle, is questionable. 

Honestly, Spors is as much of a twat as the rest of them.

[Harry_SFC]

2 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

It would be interesting to know if there was friction over picking Stewart for that third game.

From Stoll's perspective, Stewart was his best option. He could say to SR that they were the ones that lumped him with Downs. Then left him with small strikers to get on the end of crosses.

I'd have thought any medical team would have raised flags over the load on Stewart. If not in immediate fitness, then in consideration of his injury record and recent maximum playing time.

From a club perspective their manager has possibly helped get one forward crocked again, while not wanting to play their new, keenly rated by someone in the club, asset.

Stewart shouldn't have started 3 games in a week due to his injury record.

The issue I have with Scienza is they are saying he's not used to playing so many games over Christmas. Well neither is Jander yet he's been worked into the ground.

He hasn't had an injury since he's been with us. He isn't playing 90 minutes every single game. He doesn't look knackered when he's being taken off. It's very odd.

[Osvaldorama]

11 hours ago, Badger said:

Two sides certainly, but leaves me asking who is reporting to whom in these cases. In a traditional set up you’d expect the info to be passed to the manager (or head coach) to make the decision . 
 

Do the medics report directly to the DoF and they tell the manager who is available to him for selection ? If the manager looks to select someone the medics have concerns on do they go running to the DoF “ look Enzo/Tonda wants to play Ross Stewart or whoever …,”. 
 

Certainly grounds for internal friction if not all on board with it. Manager wants his best team, club want to protect asset value.

Perhaps things are different at SFC. Downs brings a note from his Mum asking if he can be left out of training or games as he has a ‘poorly tummy’.  

Quite smart in a way. It’s likely only way to increase Downs’ value - to not play him.
Hopefully if no one sees him play football for a while we can build up an aura of mystique and trick someone into taking him off our hands. 

The less people see of him, the more they’ll believe that he’s a “promising US u21 striker”. 

[Bob60]

Ben Garner appointed as new first team assistant coach

Edited Sunday at 13:15 by Bob60

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, Bob60 said:

Ben Garner as new first team assistant coach

Perfect for SR - left Charlton because of ‘mentality’ issues amongst the playing squad. Even Nathan Jones managed to overcome those https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63864853

The transition to a lower league club under SR gathers pace (the style of football certainly doesn’t!)

[gammon cheeks]

6 minutes ago, Bob60 said:

Ben Garner appointed as new first team assistant coach

Who 😆 

[tdmickey3]

7 minutes ago, Bob60 said:

Ben Garner appointed as new first team assistant coach

Brilliant appointment.

Just the experience we need🙄

[HarvSFC]

Poor CV, no top club experience, no playing career. Areas where Eckert is also lacking in, so doesn't make up in that area. Another one who won't inspire or motivate the players to listen.

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, gammon cheeks said:

Who 😆 

Head of the Right to Dream Academy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Garner

Perfect for Rasmus, imagine the ‘strategy’ conversations they’ll have.

[SW11_Saint]

Just now, Gloucester Saint said:

Head of the Right to Dream Academy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Garner

Perfect for Rasmus, imagine the ‘strategy’ conversations they’ll have.

Apparently Brighton sourced a few of their players from there…

[tdmickey3]

When are we going to be told by the SR stooge on here that Tonda will manage a big team in Europe like he did about Lego

[davefizzy14]

21 minutes ago, Bob60 said:

Ben Garner appointed as new first team assistant coach

Good luck to Ben Garner, hopefully he makes a good impact. 

Edited Sunday at 13:34 by davefizzy14

[Greenridge]

35 minutes ago, Bob60 said:

Ben Garner appointed as new first team assistant coach

Being universally slaughtered by Charlton and Bristol supporters on the Clubs X announcement…..

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, Greenridge said:

Being universally slaughtered by Charlton and Bristol supporters on the Clubs X announcement…..

I guess they couldn't dare appoint anyone decent, or with 'real' experience, as that would mean there'd be a risk at someone questioning the clubs approach. Have to keep filling it all with yes men who are just thankful to have a job at a level above them.

[LGTL]

Ben Garner 😂😂😂😂  

[Badger]

31 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Head of the Right to Dream Academy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Garner

Perfect for Rasmus, imagine the ‘strategy’ conversations they’ll have.

Dream Academy - wasn’t that an 80’s pop group ? 

[saintant]

Will we notice any difference with Garner around? I'm confident that we won't.

[Badger]

32 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Head of the Right to Dream Academy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Garner

Perfect for Rasmus, imagine the ‘strategy’ conversations they’ll have.

Otherwise known as the Jackanory School of Thought 

[Badger]

Just now, saintant said:

Will we notice any difference with Garner around? I'm confident that we won't.

How do you know how quickly he puts the cones out ?

I’m sure Rasmus has researched it on a spreadsheet. Xcs factor *

 

*Expected cone stacker ratio ~ for the uneducated  

[Wade Garrett]

No matter how shite it gets, at least this no-mark won’t be a threat to Tonda.

[Osvaldorama]

Jesus Christ, every decision they make is fucking terrible , it really is. 

[Gloucester Saint]

6 minutes ago, Badger said:

Dream Academy - wasn’t that an 80’s pop group ? 

Indeed it was https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_Academy

Quite an appropriate tune for today’s match

 

[LGTL]

Transformation to a fully fledged lower league team is basically complete. Cheers SR, you bunch of absolute cunts. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

49 minutes ago, Bob60 said:

Ben Garner appointed as new first team assistant coach

Reading through the comments from other clubs, this is a ridiculous appointment (as in poor).
But very on par with Sport Republics current trajectory. ⬇️

[beatlesaint]

You think it couldn’t get any more amateur then they prove you wrong. 
ffs

[saintant]

This guy must have thought all his Christmases had come at once when SR headhunted him from obscurity. Imagine doing fuck all and some large corporation offers you a top job out of the blue 🙂

Edited Sunday at 14:09 by saintant

[tdmickey3]

18 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

You think it couldn’t get any more amateur then they prove you wrong. 
ffs

And still going

[Saint86]

On 17/12/2025 at 13:57, revolution saint said:

I've read some bollocks on here but this takes the biscuit.  Winning games is the only thing that counts.

How's the results working out for you? I wonder, are you still standing by Eckert and attacking any saints fans who dared to raise any concerns with the standard of the performances? 🤔

[AlexLaw76]

The rookie is clearly in way over is head...Surely he wont be our manager next season.

[tdmickey3]

Should never have been given it but, yes out now

[Football Special]

Spors has to leave with him 

[Willo of Whiteley]

Should never have been given it.

He needs to go now. But I doubt they will.

Unless Sports Republic’s next “cunning plan” is to appointment the guy that was named as assistant coach today as the new head coach tomorrow.

[benali-shorts]

Before I vote, is it him or Lallana? 

[sockeye]

Sack the board

[Harry_SFC]

He can fuck off with the rest of SR

[Lighthouse]

There’s a vacancy for president of Venezuela if he fancies it.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Shameful.

Waits until we are 4-0 down before changing to a back four.

Has constantly rotated and rested players ahead of “the next game”. We’ve taken two points from fifteen in this winter period.
An absolute clown, well out of his depth.

But the real finger pointing needs to be at those above him.