Tonda Eckert

[skintsaint]

3 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

Imagine the scene:

First game of the season, away at Middlesbrough. Saints win 2-0 and Tonda has had dogs abuse for 90+ minutes. As the final whistle blows, he grabs a giant Saints flag and runs onto the pitch ala Graeme Souness and plants it in the centre circle.

 

He could stay manager for life if that happened! 😅

Edited 1 hour ago by skintsaint

[Pengi]

4 hours ago, saintant said:

Crook is an airhead, an empty vessel. He has nothing of real value to say about anything football related. He's used the whole spygate affair to put himself front and central on Talk Sport and is desperately trying to make himself sound relevant. He's a nobody trying hard to be a somebody.

Favours our fishy rivals

[trousers]

47 minutes ago, Ted Bates Statue said:

You've reminded me, the first sign that we weren't going to sack Tonda came from Alex Crook

 

On the money yet again 😂😂😂

[beatlesaint]

Must admit Jordan's line about recovery and "this is a club that had Rupert Lowe as their Chairman for Christ sake...." was hilarious 🤣

[trousers]

17 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

The onslaught from Boro and the media treating this as some kind of crime of the century almost certainly influenced the EFL.

And my fear is that the FA could also be swayed by "public opinion".... But I have faith that the FA are less open to influence than the EFL obviously were....

[BARCELONASAINT]

19 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Well that was an eventful few hours - it's what we've all called for, direct communication to the fans from two key people involved. They've come out and pinned their views to the mast today, and sure it'll upset the 'football community' - but we can use this to create a siege mentality and truly allow football to 'win'. 

My emotions throughout all of this have been a rollercoaster, anger, frustration, acceptance. I'd say I'm at acceptance but with a newly found tinge of anger again - not anger at the club per-say, but angry at the media and Boro and how they manipulated this entire situation to provide them with the opportunity to get the biggest reward.

I was waiting to read the full report and extracts, because we were told of bullying and 'deplorable' exchanges between the manager and interns - but that's not the case is it. Not even close. None of what we've seen released has made me go, wow, what a disgrace, instead it's made me go ''FFS, is that truly all it was?''.

The onslaught from Boro and the media treating this as some kind of crime of the century almost certainly influenced the EFL. Let's remember, before the panel actually sat the EFL recommendation for them to consider was 'expulsion' - so before we even had a chance to talk our case, they'd already decided on expulsion. 

The entire way it played out in the media was wrong. From leaking the personal details and photos of a junior member of staff, to the story changing by the day - it was behind a tree, then an open field, then in bushes, then it was an organised 007 mission - it was none of those. The picture we saw is pretty much the full story, a young kid taking a photo of some training sessions from next to a tree. Nothing ground breaking, nothing that requires someone being hung.

Of course I'll always be frustrated with the club in how they dealt with the entire thing in the direct aftermath, but the offences themselves - whilst daft - were so miniscule in the context of the dirty and murky world of professional sports, and I will always stand by the opinion that it was extremely blown of proportion. 

My anger will sit with the EFL/Boro though for how they strung us through the media, just to gain an advantage themselves. On one hand they can complain we tried to gain an advantage by spying, but they almost gained the ultimate advantage themselves by using dirty tactics throughout the media to get to the final. Two wrongs don't make a right, and they were as much on the look out for an advantage as we were.

It's a shame they can't play football and had to resort to political tactics, and yet they still failed quite spectacularly when they had to play football against Hull in their 3rd chance. That probably tells you all you need to know. 

This perfectly sums up my stance on this....well said

[MarkSFC]

34 minutes ago, Maggie May said:

It’s hilarious how obsessed the Boro fans are with us.  They got what they wanted and still lost, but can’t seem to move on.

I’m all for forgive and forget and I’m glad we’re big enough to do so with Tonda. 

Yeah, rules were broken, but it’s legal to “spy” on training, just not 72 hours before a game, which is what so many fans of other clubs keep forgetting or can’t comprehend.  The entire football governance should ban it outright if it’s upsetting both fans and other clubs so much. 

Don't you understand.....if we hadn't cheated theyd of beaten us in the Semi-final and their preparation for the final wouldn't of been affected by the press shit.....

Everything that doesnt go their way from now until forever will be something to do with us...

[BARCELONASAINT]

I hate Borough now more than i hate Real Madrid and that is saying something!!

[sfc4prem]

3 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Which begs the question; why do it?

Agreed. Almost like it was seen as a cultural, habit-based, normal part od football thing to do. In Tonda's eyes, anyway.

A small gain, in terms of knowing Hackney was/wasnt available.

Seen by Tonda and his analysts as a consequence to be not that big a deal in terms of sanction?

How fucking wrong he was. Feel like he needs an arm round the shoulder and protection more than anything.

[BotleySaint]

I'm pleased the club is finally communicating. But I still can't see Tonda staying in charge next season.

The press will be all over it. We won't be able to move on.

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, BotleySaint said:

I'm pleased the club is finally communicating. But I still can't see Tonda staying in charge next season.

The press will be all over it. We won't be able to move on.

What does that even mean? The press largely aren't interested in championship games. Typically we get two local journalists at press conferences and a few weeks into the season if we are performing well I doubt it will be much of a topic of conversation other than against Pompey or Boro.

[Maggie May]

2 hours ago, ecuk268 said:

Simon Jordan thinks were doing the right thing:

 

Boro fans can’t help themselves. Why does it matter to that George caller so much? It’s because they know they will flop under Hellberg next season and they blew their biggest chance to go up.