Southampton boss Tonda Eckert should have been jubilant after his side’s dramatic win over Middlesbrough to seal a spot in the play-off final on Tuesday night.
But he cut a downcast figure in his post-match press conference dominated by questions about ‘spygate’ and even stormed out after one especially direct grilling.
The 33-year old German was asked: ‘Are you a cheat?’
It was Dominic Shaw of the Northern Echo who took the no-nonsense approach and Eckert avoided eye contact, looked incredibly uncomfortable and then immediately left.
The Southampton press officer then retorted to Shaw: ‘Show some respect!’
The Spygate scandal, first exposed by Daily Mail Sport last week, overshadowed the tight tie, which was won 2-1 on aggregate by Saints.
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert (above) walked out of his press conference after being asked if he is a cheat
They sent a junior intern to allegedly spy on a Middlesbrough training session before the first leg. Daily Mail Sport learnt the identity of the employee, who is in his early 20s and was caught in the bushes at Boro’s Rockliffe Park training ground.
A male was approached by club staff and it is claimed he deleted video and pictures from his mobile phone before refusing to identify himself. He then left the site of the training ground and made his way into the nearby Rockliffe Hall Hotel, owned by Boro chairman Steve Gibson, before changing clothes in a toilet and leaving the area.
The EFL have charged Southampton with a breach in regulations and an Independent Disciplinary Commission is investigating.
Uncertainty still looms over the club in terms of potential punishments if found guilty and Saints have not denied the spying.
A number of different sanctions are possible ranging from a fine, points deduction or expulsion from the play-offs.
It remains to be seen whether that would see Hull automatically promoted or elevate beaten Middlesbrough to the final at Wembley, giving them a reprieve and chance to play for a place in the Premier League.
Eckert has remained tight-lipped over ‘spygate’ despite fielding countless questions about it over the last week.
On Tuesday night, he said: ‘It’s not easy for me to not comment, there’s just nothing I can say at the moment because it is an ongoing investigation. We’re taking the matter very seriously and I will say something, I just can’t now.’
He was then pushed about knowing more than he is revealing and added: ‘It is an ongoing investigation and nothing that I say is going to make an impact on that.
‘It’s not easy for me, I will say something it’s just not the moment.’
The individual at the centre of the ‘spygate’ storm has worked for Saints for nearly a year and is listed as a first-team analyst. He has worked at other Premier League clubs.
His current job description includes the word ‘intern’, raising serious questions over why Southampton would instruct a junior member of staff to break EFL rules, if that was the case.
There was a strange atmosphere after Southampton beat Middlesbrough on Tuesday night
Last week, the EFL put out a statement. It read: ‘Southampton Football Club has been charged with a breach of EFL Regulations, and the matter will be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission.
‘This follows a request from the EFL for the Club’s observations after a complaint from Middlesbrough relating to alleged unauthorised filming on private property ahead of the two Clubs meeting in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Semi-Final First Leg.’
Southampton reacted to the EFL’s statement last Friday night.
They said: ‘Southampton Football Club acknowledges the statement issued by the EFL in relation to alleged breaches of EFL Regulations.
‘We can confirm that we will be fully cooperating with the League throughout this process.
‘Given the ongoing nature of the matter, the club is unable to comment any further at this time.’
The breaches relate to EFL regulations that ‘requires Clubs to act towards each other with the utmost good faith’ and ‘which prohibits any Club from observing, or attempting to observe, another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two Clubs’.
A substantial fine will likely be served as a minimum punishment if the charges are proven. The sanction could yet be more severe, given clubs were clearly instructed not to spy on opposition training following the Leeds United spygate saga of 2019.
The League introduced a new rule after Leeds were fined £200,000 when boss Marcelo Bielsa admitted to sending a colleague to snoop on Derby County’s training.
