Should Saints sack Tonda?

[Wade Garrett]

Anyone who thinks he won’t get sacked are living in cloud cuckoo land.

[musesaint]

Looking above, not sure that the FA six week issue makes one iota of difference. We know what the result will be don’t we. Fairly obvious isn’t it? 
 

If the club has any chance of clearing up this utterly appalling mess they need to get on with it and make some very swift and bold decisions. Both sackings and appointments. Plus new contracts for any players they want to try and keep. Bree for example - though I doubt he’ll stay now unfortunately. 

[Ex Lion Tamer]

2 hours ago, Thripp87 said:

Why is there even a vote?

There is less than a 0.1% chance he will even be allowed to stay, and we should be considering it even less then that.

1.) every player currently on the books thinks he’s a cunt.

2.) a large proportion of the fan base think he’s a cunt, on the evidence available so far he is the most culpable for giving us our worst and most embarrassing moment in our 140 year history.

3.) We can't move on it he is here.

4.) Every press conference after a win, did you cheat?

5.) if he is some superstar how fucking stupid will we look when he eventually leaves for a better club, if we stick with him?

A lot of this will go away if Tonda comes out and gives a sympathetic interview where he takes responsibility. Until that happens (or doesn't) then this is all speculation

[pimpin4rizeal]

Hmm decisions decisions sack him which achieves nothing apart from appeasing the butt hurt drama queens and worrying about how we look to others 

Or stick with  the man that just took us on a 21 game unbeaten run beat arsenal and nearly beat city . If we stick with him we could cruise the league Coventry style 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Hmm decisions decisions sack him which achieves nothing apart from appeasing the butt hurt drama queens and worrying about how we look to others 

Or stick with  the man that just took us on a 21 game unbeaten run beat arsenal and nearly beat city . If we stick with him we could cruise the league Coventry style 

Fucking hell

[sadoldgit]

13 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Anyone who thinks he won’t get sacked are living in cloud cuckoo land.

I didn’t think that the club would be thrown out of the competition and look how that turned out!

What if Spors is the SpyMaster and it was his agenda? Does Eckert take the rap or does the man who (possibly) instigated it? Even if he didn’t sanction it, as Eckert’s boss, does the buck stop with him?

Widening the argument a bit, if it had been going on all season should Will Still have to face charges too?

[die Mannyschaft]

10 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

A lot of this will go away if Tonda comes out and gives a sympathetic interview where he takes responsibility. Until that happens (or doesn't) then this is all speculation

That's never going to happen and its too late now, the final is today, tge hearing is completed and Saints are permanently labed cheats. Club needs to come up with some to counter 200 clubs and 10m football fans thing we are cheats front the EFL decision,  evidence and Boro PR machine.

Tonda won't work in England again. 

[St Louis]

For me, it 100% comes down to what the playing squad think….

If (and it’s a big if, and I’d assume not likely) they want him to stay, and feel they want to give it another go next season with a siege mentality and all stick together, then I would be happy for him to stay (the football played and the results he got, make him a better option than the risk and upheaval of a new manager)

But… If (and I assume it’s most likely) they are disgusted by it all and want him gone and can’t forgive him for taking their chance away, then I want him gone.

Bielsa did the same remember (it was only the punishment was lesser) and he was forgiven and loved again (like a god) by the Leeds fans (and media!)

[Wade Garrett]

1 minute ago, sadoldgit said:

I didn’t think that the club would be thrown out of the competition and look how that turned out!

What if Spors is the SpyMaster and it was his agenda? Does Eckert take the rap or does the man who (possibly) instigated it? Even if he didn’t sanction it, as Eckert’s boss, does the buck stop with him?

Widening the argument a bit, if it had been going on all season should Will Still have to face charges too?

Fucking hell, Eckert has admitted it!  The findings of the commission are that he was the instigator.

Why are people still questioning it.

[Cuddles]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

There HAS to be a reason why they've gone to ground again, rather than just being dithering buffoons, surely? 

Sadly recent evidence points to the latter.

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

24 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Hmm decisions decisions sack him which achieves nothing apart from appeasing the butt hurt drama queens and worrying about how we look to others 

Or stick with  the man that just took us on a 21 game unbeaten run beat arsenal and nearly beat city . If we stick with him we could cruise the league Coventry style 

Don't talk such nonsense. Saints will struggle to stay up next season. 

Who would want to stay after this? Who would want to join? The club is fucked. It's been rotten for years, this just proves that it's rotten to the very core.

[Cuddles]

2 minutes ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

Don't talk such nonsense. Saints will struggle to stay up next season. 

Who would want to stay after this? Who would want to join? The club is fucked. It's been rotten for years, this just proves that it's rotten to the very core.

Yeah, most footballers only really care about the money. We'll be fine.

[Matthew Le God]

6 minutes ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

Don't talk such nonsense. Saints will struggle to stay up next season. 

Who would want to stay after this? Who would want to join? The club is fucked. It's been rotten for years, this just proves that it's rotten to the very core.

Only 4 clubs next season will have parachute payments in the Championship. We'll have a huge wage budget compared to the 20 non-parachute payment teams. Even if players leave, there will be a lot of money to attract new players. The incoming players and their agents will find that a motivating factor.

[Cabrone]

If he didn't know about the 72 hour rule then I'd give him a chance of redemption. He's a baby in management terms, was parachuted into a difficult situation and did a fantastic job.

The board get paid to be the wise heads that make sure everyone understands the rules. If their 1st  team coach didn't know something as fundamental as this I'd be asking why? They could have booked a day out somewhere, taken all the staff and spent the day going through the rules. They failed.

Also let's be real, if SR reappoint it will be another dodgy experiment. No thanks I'd rather have a contrite Tonda. If we let him go he'll be snapped up somewhere else.

I hope he stays and takes the stick, I'd respect him for that.

However it may be out of our hands.

[skintsaint]

7 minutes ago, Cabrone said:

If he didn't know about the 72 hour rule

Someone in that scouting department would have known, lets be honest.

[USaintA]

I voted no because I quite like the ruthless bastard approach, and keeping him would really annoy a lot of people.

[Cuddles]

25 minutes ago, USaintA said:

I voted no because I quite like the ruthless bastard approach, and keeping him would really annoy a lot of people.

The shithousery last season was brilliant 😂

[Sheaf Saint]

2 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Fucking hell, Eckert has admitted it!  The findings of the commission are that he was the instigator.

Why are people still questioning it.

[macca155]

2 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Fucking hell, Eckert has admitted it!  The findings of the commission are that he was the instigator.

Why are people still questioning it.

They're not questioning it, they are looking past it. 

Like it or not we'll never appoint another manager with his success rate. Any serious contenders will give Saints a wide berth.

All down to the FA and the players. Nobody gives a toss what we think anyway.

Bunker mentality from the club is doing my head in.

[Lighthouse]

2 hours ago, Cuddles said:

Yeah, most footballers only really care about the money. We'll be fine.

Yep and Tonda has just cost every single player an absolute f**k tonne of it. How on earth are they going to be in any way ‘fine’ with that?

[Mr X]

I voted yes they should sack him, I am angry make no mistake! But on reflection  I'm. Coming round to the idea that he may be the only manager with the skills to put this whole mess right! And he owes us big time! That said do the players want him? and do we want a manager that's always going to be associated with cheating forever more! Its difficult and he may be banned from management anyway 

[Wade Garrett]

6 minutes ago, macca155 said:

They're not questioning it, they are looking past it. 

Like it or not we'll never appoint another manager with his success rate. Any serious contenders will give Saints a wide berth.

All down to the FA and the players. Nobody gives a toss what we think anyway.

Bunker mentality from the club is doing my head in.

How good would he be without knowing team lineups or tactics in advance?

Like I said before, we should have pissed promotion with that squad.   Don’t think Eckert  is some genius.  A capable manager could have done what he did without cheating.

Should have gone for experience last Summer instead of Will Still.  Should go for experience now.

[LegalEagle]

18 minutes ago, Mr X said:

I voted yes they should sack him, I am angry make no mistake! But on reflection  I'm. Coming round to the idea that he may be the only manager with the skills to put this whole mess right! And he owes us big time! That said do the players want him? and do we want a manager that's always going to be associated with cheating forever more! Its difficult and he may be banned from management anyway 

That’s exactly where I’m coming to. I was a hang him high guy 3 days ago possibly even yesterday. I’m switching in the last 24 hours. I would love how much it would piss off every other club and particularly it’s two fingers to the EFL and Gibson.

[Mr X]

8 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

That’s exactly where I’m coming to. I was a hang him high guy 3 days ago possibly even yesterday. I’m switching in the last 24 hours. I would love how much it would piss off every other club and particularly it’s two fingers to the EFL and Gibson.

I don't think there's anyway he can stay realistically, most players and fans aren't going to want him anywhere near the club and I was one of those.. I would be prepared to accept him staying if he showed more humility and truly apoligized to fans with a thorough explanation of why he did what he did and why he deserves a second chance from us! I don't think humility is in his nature though, I also need him to blink more to prove he isn't an Android! And ditch the serial killer eyes 😜

[LVSaint]

8 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

That’s exactly where I’m coming to. I was a hang him high guy 3 days ago possibly even yesterday. I’m switching in the last 24 hours. I would love how much it would piss off every other club and particularly it’s two fingers to the EFL and Gibson.

That's all very well, but can you really see us hitting the ground running? With the players who stay in the same mindframe, Tonda with the same ruthlessness? What I don't want to see, is the club bumble their way through the summer waiting for the FA to intervene and take the inevitable out of their hands, losing players as they go.
Dragan, make a statement, clear it up next week and make the best managerial appointment you've ever made...err...oh bugger...

[Golac's Iron Gonads]

46 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Yep and Tonda has just cost every single player an absolute f**k tonne of it. How on earth are they going to be in any way ‘fine’ with that?

As stupid as he's been I would be incredulous if he or the club post-Tonda ever did it again

Edited 4 hours ago by Golac's Iron Gonads

[Mr X]

3 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Anyone who thinks he won’t get sacked are living in cloud cuckoo land.

This is saints though after all! Do you trust SR to sack him? 

[adrian lord]

1 hour ago, USaintA said:

I voted no because I quite like the ruthless bastard approach, and keeping him would really annoy a lot of people.

Agreed. Moreover why ditch our best manager since at least Koeman? An act of deliberate self harm if ever there was, and cementing-in a bad situation. Extremely unlikely to recruit anyone approaching his talent so we would almost certainly be back to employing duds and donkeys similar to those we have suffered since Ralph departed.  

Edited 4 hours ago by adrian lord

[Cuddles]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

Yep and Tonda has just cost every single player an absolute f**k tonne of it. How on earth are they going to be in any way ‘fine’ with that?

It won't stop players coming here though will it?! 😂

[O_Lord_Marian]

I voted yes, but changed my mind after the Hull result. Lets rerun this thing and give Boro hell home and away.

Also, upgrade our spies

[trousers]

F*** it.... After the chortle-fest of Middlesbrough losing today, I now want to go full blown siege mentality next season....so let's keep the cheeky little German fella! 

[Dark Munster]

First, let's look at the reality of the situation: Tonda appears to be largely responsible for the cheating "scandal", which primarily resulted in us being expelled from the playoffs. However, we need some perspective. The "cheating" amounted to scouting inside an arbitrary 72-hour window, an infraction against the rules, sure, but hardly the crime of the century when compared to the financial breaches of Manchester City and Leicester etc., or Italian clubs bribing referees.

On the pitch, his impact is undeniable. He transformed us from relegation candidates into playoff contenders, a run that included an incredible 21-match unbeaten streak in the league. Without him we almost certainly wouldn't have made the playoffs. I doubt the "spying" made much difference in that regard.

For me, the biggest underlying issue is that Sport Republic has proven to be beyond incompetent when it comes to finding decent managers. They essentially stumbled onto Tonda; he is the lone exception to a string of otherwise appalling hires. If he gets sacked, the chances of them finding anyone remotely as good are virtually zero. It is far more likely we will end up trapped with another disaster on the level of Will Still.

While this is probably a moot point because he will likely be gone anyway, I've voted no to sacking him.

[Mk1J]

Will be interesting to see the press conferences if he stays. I can’t imagine he will be giving a grovelling apology as he’s probably as annoyed by the ridiculous punishment as the rest of us.

I hope Spors has a plan in case the FA decides he’s banned a week before the season starts. I want him to stay as he’s probably our best chance of finishing above Boro, and it will really piss everyone off. 

[Waterside.saint]

Sadly I think it’s a root and branch fresh start- sell up and begin again. Otherwise we’ll be seen as pariahs for the foreseeable

Edited 1 hour ago by Waterside.saint

[Mattio]

The more time passes the more I think, if the players want him - keep him.

[trousers]

4 minutes ago, Mattio said:

The more time passes the more I think, if the players want him - keep him.

Yep, if the players don't want him then all bets are off, regardless of what the FA might hand down. As you say, the longer we do t hear anything the more likely it is that the players want him to stay. In fact, if the players didn't want him to stay then surely he'd have gone immediately...?

Edited 1 hour ago by trousers

[saint francis]

I like what Tonda has achieved regarding the management of the players and I think we should be wary of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  Get through this period of negativity and start again with Tonda in charge and fresh investment.  

[Waterside.saint]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

Yep, if the players don't want him then all bets are off, regardless of what the FA might hand down. As you say, the longer we do t hear anything the more likely it is that the players want him to stay. In fact, if the players didn't want him to stay then surely he'd have gone immediately...?

That’sa good point

[sfc4prem]

6 minutes ago, trousers said:

Yep, if the players don't want him then all bets are off, regardless of what the FA might hand down. As you say, the longer we do t hear anything the more likely it is that the players want him to stay. In fact, if the players didn't want him to stay then surely he'd have gone immediately...?

Didn't the players and coaching staff all meet up for a debrief yesterday or today at Staplewood?

Any of our Saintsweb spies in the trees get a glimpse of what occurred?

Edited 1 hour ago by sfc4prem

[ExtraMan]

7 hours ago, coalman said:

To quote Macbeth "if it were done when 'tis done then 'twere well it were done quickly". The longer we leave it the less time we have to do anything about it. Given that the FA is almost guaranteed to ban him anyway and they take forever to decide anything then hanging on as long as possible just puts pre-season at risk.

Can somebody tell me why "the FA is almost guaranteed to ban him"? The FA oversees all competitions, including the Premier League, where scouting/spying on the opposition isn't even a breach of their rules. How can the FA ban an EFL manager for spying when there would be absolutely no question of them banning a PL manager who did exactly the same as Tonda?

[AlexLaw76]

If he stays, the pressers for the Boro games will be box office

🤪

Edited 1 hour ago by AlexLaw76

[RedArmy]

Now that Boro have lost and I’ve had a few celebratory beers down my neck I have changed my mind.

 

If the FA don’t ban him and the players are on board, let’s run it back! 

[MarkSFC]

My initial reaction was the sack the cheating c***. 

As the emotion has subsided and from reading this thread I may be coming round to the idea of keeping him. This is purely on a footballing basis, give the transformation he achieved. 

I do not and have never thoight that spying/observing other teams has much of an impact. Maybe it can do earlier in the season when teams are establishing formations ans systems of play and embedding new players. Halfway through the season and in the second half, I cant believe it has much impact at all. 

That doesnt make breaking a rule right but equally, its not the crime some are making it out to be. 

The question that needs to be answered - which perhaps we will never know in here - is what is the true character of Eckert. Is he intrinsically a cheat, pushing boundaries and stepping over boundaries in all his actions, or, was this cases of (very) poor judgement. 

I hope its the latter, and if it is, then there may well be a way he csn stay put. This may well be why he is currently still here; because the club know his real character. 

Football is a fickle sport most of the time and fans are certainly the same. 

If we win the first 5 games of next season all will be forgotten by our fans, most probabaly!! Other club fans will jeer us whoever is in charge!!  

[Badger]

6 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

 

If we win the first 5 games of next season all will be forgotten by our fans, most probabaly!! Other club fans will jeer us whoever is in charge!!  

Witn the FA investigation and charges looming it seems unlikely to me that Tonda will be in charge for the first five games. 

[Wade Garrett]

4 hours ago, Mr X said:

This is saints though after all! Do you trust SR to sack him? 

It’s an absolute no-brainier.  So no, obviously.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Southampton FC statement

The Board have concluded their internal investigation into what the media have dubbed ‘spygate’ following the sanctions levied against the club by the EFL. One of the key strengths of the club is its belief in our motto of ‘marching on together’ and this applies during good and bad times. That has always meant collective responsibility in all matters and so the Board strongly feel that continued support for all our staff, including our coaches, analytical staff and management is of paramount importance going forwards.

The learning, healing and improvement process can only be a success if the club as a whole unit comes together to act as one. The significant sanctions levied against the club are certainly of an order that are considered an holistically sufficient punishment, therefore after careful consultation with ALL footballing department staff it has been decided to retain all members of the team that brought about 21 unbeaten games of football including wins against two Premiership sides in Fulham and Arsenal. We are united in our determination to improve both our own performance and contribute to ensuring a fair and just professional football environment.

To our supporters around the World, we would like to extend an unconditional apology for the disappointment endured in not taking part in the EFL Play-Off Final. The Board will be considering ways in which we can compensate fans, not least by making the 2026-27 season an unqualified success.

WE MARCH ON TOGETHER!

😉🤞- ok, so it’s fake news, but for me…we’ve paid a huge price collectively. Tonda proved his credentials without ‘spying’ in the cup games. Time to grow some big boy balls and come out fighting FFS.