Tonda Eckert

[sfc4prem]

Pretty good, isn't he? Shame we had a Still start to the season, otherwise we could be looking at automatic.

[Paul_B]

I echo what everyone else is saying. Fair play to him, as he has turned what was a complete shambles into something that resembles a fairly decent team. 

Someone mentioned he gives extraterrestrial vibes. I don't believe in all that but I'm thinking there's something at play here.....especially to have had the affect he's had on the team. He seems to be powered by AI. You can see when he's asked questions, his super computer takes a split second before he then answers perfectly 😂

[S-Clarke]

Proven us all wrong and I couldn't be happier.

I mentioned it into the reaction thread, but we look as well coached as we've done since the Poch days for me. Not a 'world beating team' (in the context of the Arsenal game), but players clearly following well defined instructions in a structure that has been put in place by the coaching staff.

Tactically smart, but I think the players have responded to the way he coaches and provides instructions. No over complication, just well coached players.

[Kenilworthy1959]

One thing that isn't being mentioned is Ben Garner - his appointment in January coincides with our improvement. Maybe he is helping Tonda do what he is doing?

[Saint NL]

 

Serial killer vibes

[Badger]

5 hours ago, Kenilworthy1959 said:

One thing that isn't being mentioned is Ben Garner - his appointment in January coincides with our improvement. Maybe he is helping Tonda do what he is doing?

Yes, credit where it’s due. Many, me included, were doubtful of this appointment given his track record. But no denying the timing of his arrival and our form.

We don’t know what he does, but even if it’s just putting the cones out, his contribution is helping, so well done.

Many assistants don’t make good managers. But someone not making their mark as a manager or head coach could still be a good part of the backroom team (Kidd, and McLaren spring to mind) 

[John Boy Saint]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

Yes, credit where it’s due. Many, me included, were doubtful of this appointment given his track record. But no denying the timing of his arrival and our form.

We don’t know what he does, but even if it’s just putting the cones out, his contribution is helping, so well done.

Many assistants don’t make good managers. But someone not making their mark as a manager or head coach could still be a good part of the backroom team (Kidd, and McLaren spring to mind) 

Dutch friends away claimed Ronald Koeman was the figurehead, Erwin was the puppet master. 

[Mr X]

He's done really really well no one can deny that and the turnaround has been huge but I'm still being cautious one swallow does not make a summer and all that! Let's remember he hasn't had a full season many managers have had that good season and them been absolutely dreadful, that said all the signs are good and he's surprised me as looked like another dud for the first month or so, credit to Tonda!

If we didn't make the playoffs now after playing like that against arsenal will it be considered a failure?

[Football Special]

21 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Proven us all wrong and I couldn't be happier.

I mentioned it into the reaction thread, but we look as well coached as we've done since the Poch days for me. Not a 'world beating team' (in the context of the Arsenal game), but players clearly following well defined instructions in a structure that has been put in place by the coaching staff.

Tactically smart, but I think the players have responded to the way he coaches and provides instructions. No over complication, just well coached players.

He's done an incredible job, when he came in I think most fans had given up on promotion and the focus was shifting to Sport Republic Out protests. 

Players looked like they dreaded playing at St Mary's 

Look at us now 

I can't remember a turnaround like it within the same season 

[CB Fry]

Maybe chopping and changing the manager sometimes does work after all.

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Maybe chopping and changing the manager sometimes does work after all.

Nope... There isn't a manager on the planet that could get a tune out of these mediocre players... "Not even Pep"...

[RedArmy]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

Maybe chopping and changing the manager sometimes does work after all.

If only SR swallowed their pride a bit sooner and fucked off the ginger fraud after Hull away. 
 

We could have had a real run at the top 2. 
 

[Pilchards]

Just a thought, if we did employ O’Neill as our new manager back then and we were flying like we are right now.

Would he be the bees knees? 
😀🤣😀

[Lighthouse]

4 hours ago, RedArmy said:

If only SR swallowed their pride a bit sooner and fucked off the ginger fraud after Hull away. 
 

We could have had a real run at the top 2. 
 

You think, following one of the worst seasons in PL history, we should have sacked the new manager six games into the season, after two defeats?

[Kenilworthy1959]

3 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

You think, following one of the worst seasons in PL history, we should have sacked the new manager six games into the season, after two defeats?

Hull might have been too early, although all the negative signs were there. It was the Swansea game where I felt it was over. And we got so bad I could confidently put money on Preston to win at St Marys. Action just 3 games earlier might have yielded at least 3 points that would make all the difference at the end of the season.

[Pilchards]

I just wished Tonda changed it to a back 4 straight away as everyone could see it was not working.

Pretty sure it was someone upstairs insisting he played the Southampton way for around 7 matches.

[Fabrice29]

5 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

I just wished Tonda changed it to a back 4 straight away as everyone could see it was not working.

Pretty sure it was someone upstairs insisting he played the Southampton way for around 7 matches.

A weird conspiracy regarding the Southampton way that doesn't stand up to any scrutiny/common sense or we didn't have a fit right back. How many times do we have to go through this.

Edited Monday at 21:12 by Fabrice29

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, Kenilworthy1959 said:

Hull might have been too early, although all the negative signs were there. It was the Swansea game where I felt it was over. And we got so bad I could confidently put money on Preston to win at St Marys. Action just 3 games earlier might have yielded at least 3 points that would make all the difference at the end of the season.

I said at the time he should get 10 games and see how we are doing. I think we were on 12 points after the Swansea game which wasn't good enough really. After that point we then lost 3 games in a row and he was sacked. 3 games too late. 

 

[Fabrice29]

On 21/02/2026 at 18:29, tdmickey3 said:

Not good enough and never will be 

On the ball as always. I see you've stopped watching the games now too. Never change hun.

[Fabrice29]

2 hours ago, Kenilworthy1959 said:

Hull might have been too early, although all the negative signs were there. It was the Swansea game where I felt it was over. And we got so bad I could confidently put money on Preston to win at St Marys. Action just 3 games earlier might have yielded at least 3 points that would make all the difference at the end of the season.

We battered Swansea that day. Still find it weird people made conclusions about Will Still that day and not the awful finishing. Found BBC's graphic about the difference between us under Still and Eckert quite revealing tbh. Shot conversion and save percentages the obvious upgrades and it's interesting that two things that the manager cant have that much affect on can really dictate a managers career.

Edited Monday at 21:16 by Fabrice29

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

32 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

A weird conspiracy regarding the Southampton way that doesn't stand up to any scrutiny/common sense or we didn't have a fit right back. How many times do we have to go through this.

There could be something in it. Haven't several managers done it in succession?

Also odd that Still came in with saying he's pragmatic and plays to get a result. So ends up playing 5 at the back when in pre-season it was a mixture of formations.

[Fabrice29]

8 minutes ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

There could be something in it. Haven't several managers done it in succession?

Also odd that Still came in with saying he's pragmatic and plays to get a result. So ends up playing 5 at the back when in pre-season it was a mixture of formations.

If there was something in it why did it suddenly stop? And try not to mention because we just recalled a fit right back. 

Again, whatever weird gymnastics people want to do to convince themselves something is going on is fine. But the simplest answer is ‘some managers thought 3 at the back would get them better results but player performances, especially in quite important areas like saving shots and shooting at goal, weren’t up to scratch so when we got new personnel, new results and new ways of doing things on the pitch started happening’

Also I’m pretty sure more than one manager has referenced the lack of height in our team as a reason for team selection. Which again changed in January. 

 

Edited Monday at 21:56 by Fabrice29

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

3 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

If there was something in it why did it suddenly stop? And try not to mention because we just recalled a fit right 

Are you referencing Tonda's blip? If so, um because it wasnt working? Other teams had sussed it out? 

Why continue with it for 7 games in the first place if it stopped working?

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Are you referencing Tonda's blip? If so, um because it wasnt working? Other teams had sussed it out? 

Why continue with it for 7 games in the first place if it stopped working?

No, why did we suddenly stop playing 3 at the back if someone from above has insisted we do so all season?

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Maybe because the dragon awoke within Dragan? And told the football people to sort it out?

Otherwise after the initial bounce the following set of results were not good and Saints were heading down mediocrity again?

[HnycS]

On 05/04/2026 at 13:38, John Boy Saint said:

Dutch friends away claimed Ronald Koeman was the figurehead, Erwin was the puppet master. 

No kidding!

[Willo of Whiteley]

12 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

No, why did we suddenly stop playing 3 at the back if someone from above has insisted we do so all season?

Probably because no one has insisted on it.

[saintant]

Still reckon Tonda is from another planet in a far flung galaxy. Southampton was picked as his destination at random and he'll go on to turn us into the best side in the world before suddenly vanishing without trace.

[Maggie May]

New contract. Now.

[Hoggins]

Give him a 5 year deal

[Monk]

So which Bundesliga club does he go to in the summer?

[CSA96]

 

[LeG]

5 year deal now. Let him build. 

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, LeG said:

5 year deal now. Let him build. 

Manager no ‘head coach’ crap

But if he gets results as head coach and is happy with that so be it. 

Edited 21 hours ago by Badger

[trousers]

5 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

 

Brilliant! Can someone turn that into an animated GIF for me please? 😁

[ally_uk]

Get him on a new deal 

[Dr. Kucho]

Give him a new deal asap! 

I can see Tottenham (if they go down and De Zerbi buggers off) go after him, Ajax could be interested and some Bundesliga clubs. There will be enough interest in Tonda this summer.

Hope he stays and if we go up gets the players he wants and needs. 

[Number9]

32 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

 

Perfectly captured the moment when he started thinking about the Derby game...

[saintant]

Can't wait to see Tonda give Pep the full false smile whilst giving him the death stare 🙂

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Really seems to have the players on board. Tweaks between games and keeps everyone focused. 

 

[CSA96]

 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

 

That's some going. I actually thought we would get rid of him after the Hull game. Either it was a case of SR doubling down or they knew he was the right guy, it was inspired. 

[revolution saint]

I can’t wait for @Saint86 ten thousand word essay on how results aren’t everything. I mean, courage of your convictions and all that?

[pimpin4rizeal]

Humble pie for me regarding tonda, I thought he was a ridicolous appointment and total gamble when we brought him in. Even after good runs I thought it was more being carried by a good team but gotta say this last month or two he’s really starting to put his stamp on things tactically and is consistently adapting game plans and tactics to suit the opposition excellent stuff . We never looked anywhere near this solid under Martin even with the huge unbeaten run. Tonda is giving off the impression that if we do go up we can be competitive.

[ant]

8 hours ago, CSA96 said:

 

In other words, half of our points this season have come in the past 13 matches. 

Astonishing.

[sockeye]

Well the OP was a bit premature in the end

What kind of reactive fool would write something like that

 

[sockeye]

In all seriousness I’m overjoyed for his success. He seems like someone who goes all in and reviews everything in meticulous detail to find a way to win. It was entertaining watching him stone faced on Saturday whilst Arteta leapt around on the sideline. The players seem to be in a proper flow state at the moment and it’s wonderful to see. All hail Tonda!

[tdmickey3]

On 06/11/2025 at 11:36, Turkish said:

Is he going to take us up

and win the FA cup?

 

the new Reuben Selles 

This is interesting

[AlexLaw76]

How we are playing or is how many new we could at the start of the season, when we were very disappointed with the performances

Larin is what we all hoped Downs would be. 

[hypochondriac]

8 hours ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Humble pie for me regarding tonda, I thought he was a ridicolous appointment and total gamble when we brought him in. Even after good runs I thought it was more being carried by a good team but gotta say this last month or two he’s really starting to put his stamp on things tactically and is consistently adapting game plans and tactics to suit the opposition excellent stuff . We never looked anywhere near this solid under Martin even with the huge unbeaten run. Tonda is giving off the impression that if we do go up we can be competitive.

And me. Southampton leadership hadn't earnt any trust and seemingly made one mental decision after another. Appointing the assistant seemed like the cheap option because he was a yes man and when we lost all those games over Christmas whilst continuing with three at the back it seemed that was true. We praise the players for being brave but this was a very brave decision. Had this failed the club would have been ridiculed but as it happens, spors and the hierarchy deserve all the credit for sticking to their guns.