Interns Pressured into Recording Other Clubs
Southampton’s head coach, Tonda Eckert, initiated the practice of spying on opponents, according to newly released documents which reveal that an intern assigned to record rival training sessions was told the “manager loved it.”
Southampton were sanctioned last month after being found to have spied on Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough. Eckert is currently under investigation by the Football Association (FA). Newly published remarks from the arbitration panel that rejected the club’s appeal against their expulsion support the view that Eckert played a central role in the spying activities.
First Spying Incident Prompted by Eckert
The English arbitration panel’s written reasons state that the initial spying incident occurred before Southampton’s Boxing Day match against Oxford United and was prompted by Eckert himself. The panel notes, in reference to player Cameron Brannagan, that:
“Mr Eckert asked if someone could go to observe the Oxford training session to see how they were lining up and whether a particular player was fit to play.”
During a disciplinary commission hearing, Eckert said he was surprised to learn that such actions violated the rules.
The panel further explains that Eckert made his suggestion during a meeting of Southampton’s analysis team, after which an analyst identified an intern to carry out the task. The intern, in written evidence to the commission, stated that he:
“didn’t really have an option” over accepting the instruction and “wasn’t provided an opportunity to say no.”
Intern Provided Tactical Updates and Media
After observing two Oxford training sessions, the intern sent “updates, photographs and videos” back to Southampton concerning tactical formations and player selection, according to the panel. Eckert claimed he did not watch the footage from these sessions. However, the panel notes that Eckert had a phone conversation with the intern following the observations. Additionally, a member of the analysis team messaged the intern on WhatsApp:
“Try and make out as much as you can please. You legend. Manager loved it.”
Further Spying on Ipswich and Middlesbrough
In April, the intern was asked to surveil Ipswich Town during their training at Eastleigh, near Southampton, ahead of a fixture at Southampton’s ground. The intern reported being told:
“the boss is adamant that someone needs to go.”
He refused to undertake this task, and instead, an academy analyst was selected to record footage of the session. Eckert informed the commission that he became aware of the footage only two hours before kickoff and believed it had been recorded via CCTV at Eastleigh.
The third spying incident involved Middlesbrough. The original intern was asked to perform the assignment and agreed, later stating that he felt his job might have been at risk had he declined. The panel also noted that Eckert criticized the intern for not flying up immediately after accepting the task.
This visit became notorious after the intern was confronted by Middlesbrough staff. The intern had waited for Eckert’s instructions to return home but left when no directions were given and learned of the accusations against Southampton while on the train home. According to the panel, Eckert told the commission:
“The videos were of poor quality, taken from far distance and so, they were of no benefit to him.”
Appeal Rejected and FA Investigation Continues
Southampton’s appeal against their removal from the playoffs and a four-point deduction in the next season’s competition was rejected. The arbitration panel found that the club gained a sporting advantage from the spying, clarifying that:
“sporting advantage is different from sporting success.”
The panel also cited precedents for imposing stringent sporting sanctions in such cases. The FA’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.
