Tonda Eckert

[St Louis]

17 hours ago, Mr X said:

Tricky question would Tonda not achieving promotion with this team be seen as a failure? It wouldn't on my part but I think he knows how much potential he and the team has and would be bitterly disappointed and it's only going to get harder next year! 

I dont think its a tricky question, and the answer is No, it wouldn't/shouldn't be seen as failure (despite any disappointment). He can only make a difference in the part of the season he has managed, and we've scored more than anyone else and have more points than anyone else, and had a cup run to the semi-final (beating 2 Prem teams along the way... and nearly a 3rd).
So his achievement has been incredible, whether we lose out in the lottery of the playoffs or not. To even get us to the Playoffs was unthinkable when he took over the sinking ship.

Edited May 1 by St Louis

[St Louis]

....

Edited May 1 by St Louis
(oops, posted twice)

[Toadhall Saint]

1 hour ago, St Louis said:

I dont think its a tricky question, and the answer is No, it wouldn't/shouldn't be seen as failure (despite any disappointment). He can only make a difference in the part of the season he has managed, and we've scored more than anyone else and have more points than anyone else, and had a cup run to the semi-final (beating 2 Prem teams along the way... and nearly a 3rd).
So his achievement has been incredible, whether we lose out in the lottery of the playoffs or not. To even get us to the Playoffs was unthinkable when he took over the sinking ship.

I’m not sure I could even name a manager/head coach that has done better - certainly not a Saints one.

[LiberalCommunist]

Really like Tonda, and I'm looking forward to this relationship blossoming over the coming seasons.

But. Does anyone else remember mid Dec- mid Jan. 

There was some absolutely crap performances and results over that time. 

Weird how he took over and immediately won five out of six, then descended into this dreadful run.

Changing to a back four and employing a goalkeeper was crucial. But this season seems to be made up of four stages. 

1 Will Still

2 Temp

3 Honeymoon

4 Perertz

Hoping part five is just a continuation of four. 

[Patrick Bateman]

26 minutes ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Really like Tonda, and I'm looking forward to this relationship blossoming over the coming seasons.

But. Does anyone else remember mid Dec- mid Jan. 

There was some absolutely crap performances and results over that time. 

Weird how he took over and immediately won five out of six, then descended into this dreadful run.

Changing to a back four and employing a goalkeeper was crucial. But this season seems to be made up of four stages. 

1 Will Still

2 Temp

3 Honeymoon

4 Perertz

Hoping part five is just a continuation of four. 

I still think the camp wasn't happy, couple of 1st team players left after mid-Jan, plus we got Bree, Peretz and Larin in, HUGE difference in quality. I also think Peretz might be pretty vocal and influential in the dressing room and the pitch. 

So I see it as:

1. Still

2. Players want to play for new manager

3. Current cracks in squad getting on start to appear again

4. Cracks moved on, quality brought in

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

2 hours ago, LiberalCommunist said:

Really like Tonda, and I'm looking forward to this relationship blossoming over the coming seasons.

But. Does anyone else remember mid Dec- mid Jan. 

There was some absolutely crap performances and results over that time. 

Weird how he took over and immediately won five out of six, then descended into this dreadful run.

Changing to a back four and employing a goalkeeper was crucial. But this season seems to be made up of four stages. 

1 Will Still

2 Temp

3 Honeymoon

4 Perertz

Hoping part five is just a continuation of four. 

Yes, at the time it was crap and he got slated. Me being one to slate him. Which he rectified. 

However over 32 league games, Saints have won 19, drawn 8 and lost 5.

Pretty decent going. 

If Saints dont go up, we'll lose at least 3 to 4 players. I hope he stays and gives it another go.

[CB Fry]

Not just Wussell who can get us to fourth, then.

[Saint Fan CaM]

On 02/11/2025 at 19:35, sockeye said:

Interim manager for QPR.

32 years of age.

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

Does this OP win the most stupid knee-jerk statement ever? 😉🤭🤣

[ant]

2.06 points per game.

[sockeye]

2 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Does this OP win the most stupid knee-jerk statement ever? 😉🤭🤣

I'll hold my hands up, but to be frank, we'd been there twice before with Rusk and Selles. And even an average manager would have struggled to take us from 21st to 4th comfortably. All the plaudits to Tonda

[Saint Fan CaM]

Just now, sockeye said:

I'll hold my hands up, but to be frank, we'd been there twice before with Rusk and Selles. And even an average manager would have struggled to take us from 21st to 4th comfortably. All the plaudits to Tonda

Fair play…we were pretty shocking at that point and had been for months.

[Sheaf Saint]

Hats off to him.

I was dubious that he was the right appointment at the time. I thought we got very lucky in that 4-game run when he was interim. That was followed up by some truly horrific performances - away at Oxford and Boro. I genuinely didn't think he would last til the end of January. He was looking destined to be yet another failed SR appointment who was thrown in the deep end and would never get another significant manager's job.

It's safe to say that he has surpassed all expectations. To get us from where we were in October and then again in Jan, to 4th place (only 4 points off second) and an FA cup semi final, is nothing short of miraculous.

Herzlichen glückwunsch, und danke Herr Eckert. Zehr gut! 

[Willo of Whiteley]

4 hours ago, sockeye said:

I'll hold my hands up, but to be frank, we'd been there twice before with Rusk and Selles. And even an average manager would have struggled to take us from 21st to 4th comfortably. All the plaudits to Tonda

You aren’t on your own, everyone was thinking it, I’d say 90% of the fanbase got it wrong there! 😂😀

[Polaroid Saint]

It's too early for a statue.

But, by jiggery, the boy's done good. 

[RedArmy]

5 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Does this OP win the most stupid knee-jerk statement ever? 😉🤭🤣

Not really no. It was fully warranted at the time. 
 

We had just been one of the worst teams in PL history and appointed a computer game manager who was a complete fraud, things looked bleak and then in true (as it looked at the time) SR fashion they give it to a complete unknown entity because they couldn’t attract anyone worth a wank. 
 

Luckily for everyone he turned out to be a revelation and has made this one of the most enjoyable seasons in a long, long time but nobody has a crystal ball. 
 

I didn’t want him at the time and was livid he was even being considered, I wanted him gone in the new year too but I’m delighted he’s here now. 
 

Similarly, but in different circumstances I didn’t want Poch either and was pretty angry. He was an unknown to me and Adkins seemed to be turning things around. 

We can’t always be right. 
 

 

[hypochondriac]

38 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

Not really no. It was fully warranted at the time. 
 

We had just been one of the worst teams in PL history and appointed a computer game manager who was a complete fraud, things looked bleak and then in true (as it looked at the time) SR fashion they give it to a complete unknown entity because they couldn’t attract anyone worth a wank. 
 

Luckily for everyone he turned out to be a revelation and has made this one of the most enjoyable seasons in a long, long time but nobody has a crystal ball. 
 

I didn’t want him at the time and was livid he was even being considered, I wanted him gone in the new year too but I’m delighted he’s here now. 
 

Similarly, but in different circumstances I didn’t want Poch either and was pretty angry. He was an unknown to me and Adkins seemed to be turning things around. 

We can’t always be right. 
 

 

Indeed. Management have to earn trust and when he was appointed and in January the trust was zero. If a Tonda left in the summer and we made a left field appointment I'd expect the majority of the fans to give them a chance and see where it goes because the club have earnt that.

[Miltonaggro]

Tonda wins his third Championship manager of the month award in a row. Not sure I can remember a Saints manager getting a hatrick previously. Well deserved and now just needs to get his team over the line into the Prem. 

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/eckert-makes-it-three-in-a-row-with-april-award#:~:text=Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert,unbeaten month in league action.

[Colinjb]

Richly deserved Tonda.

Now finish the job.

[goodymatt]

Apparently only the second manager in championship history to win three in a row, pretty impressive stat for your first half season as a first team senior manager. 

[Daft Kerplunk]

Very much hoping that the excellence of Tonda so far hasn't been the result of spying on teams, and is just a moment of stupidity by the wider team of analysts.

[Toadhall Saint]

1 hour ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

Very much hoping that the excellence of Tonda so far hasn't been the result of spying on teams, and is just a moment of stupidity by the wider team of analysts.

The club is permitted to “spy” as long as it’s not within 72 hours of the fixture. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

Tonda not in the nominations for manager of the season gets funnier by the day.

No players nominated by EFL for team of the year either.

Can you imagine how tinpot the EFL will look if Saints get promoted? 

[Stu Man Do]

1 minute ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Tonda not in the nominations for manager of the season gets funnier by the day.

No players nominated by EFL for team of the year either.

Can you imagine how tinpot the EFL will look if Saints get promoted? 

What's more ridiculous is he's won 1/3 of all the manager of the month competitions this season and nearly half of all the ones he was manager for!

[Willo of Whiteley]

I know we all want Saints to go up, but I am desperate for the below reasons for not to happen more now.

- Tonda revelation

- Clear positive player/coach dynamics

- Squad/player retention 

- Boro’s pathetic spy jibe with zero evidence to try and rouse their own fans

- Trip to Wembley again

- Sticks it to the EFL who nonainated no one Saints related for end of season awards/or team.

- Spors credit

- Peretz and Larin signing 

Edited yesterday at 13:06 by Willo of Whiteley

[Doctoroncall]

18 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Tonda not in the nominations for manager of the season gets funnier by the day.

No players nominated by EFL for team of the year either.

Can you imagine how tinpot the EFL will look if Saints get promoted? 

None from Ipswich who have been promoted. 

[Nordic Saint]

7 hours ago, goodymatt said:

Apparently only the second manager in championship history to win three in a row, pretty impressive stat for your first half season as a first team senior manager. 

He must be the first Saints manager to win 3 consecutive Manager of the Month awards in any division.

Edited yesterday at 15:04 by Nordic Saint

[saintant]

27 minutes ago, Nordic Saint said:

He must be the first Saints manager to win 3 consecutive Manager of the Month awards in any division.

It's easy when you employ a network of brilliant spies.

[Whitey Grandad]

8 minutes ago, saintant said:

It's easy when you employ a network of brilliant spies.

I knew they weren't his real eyes.

[skintsaint]