Tonda Eckert and Phil Parsons speak ahead of this week’s FA ruling on Southampton’s spygate scandal.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds teased Spygate in a video with Firefox ahead of Wrexham’s game against Southampton.
Two months ago, the FA accused Southampton manager Tunda Eckert of misconduct and potentially bringing the game into disrepute.
He was charged with three counts of misconduct in breach of FA Rule E3.1 between December 2025 and May 2026. We have not yet determined the outcome of the penalty.
It is reported Alfie’s HouseTonda Eckert said when asked about this: “I’ve seen it and it doesn’t change anything. Of course, the whole situation is not particularly interesting to me, but that’s all I can say. The players are focused and have been for weeks.”
Wrexham’s Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds poke fun at Southampton’s spygate scandal
Asked if he expected the FA to make a decision during the international break, Eckert said: Alfie’s House: “Yes.”
When asked if he expected a touchline ban: “Let’s see, this has been going on for a long time and I think we’ll have some clarity soon.”
This week, Tonda Eckert’s hearing regarding his FA charges will take place on Thursday, with the outcome expected at the end of the international break.
Wrexham v Southampton.
Tunda Eckert completely refutes the idea that Germans have no sense of humor. pic.twitter.com/vb7Ryk9h3Y
— Craig Jones September 18, 2026
Eckert and CEO Phil Parsons were interviewed BBC Sportpublished on Monday.
Eckert says: “This is a very, very big punishment [from the EFL]. This is absolutely unheard of in sports history. It’s hard for me to say that because it concerns me.
“I’m judging myself, not the external situation. But I’ve asked for forgiveness for what I’ve done. I’ve apologized publicly.
“I think last season was a very harsh punishment for the club. And going into the new season with minus four points. The rest is not for me to decide.”
Check out more in the video interview below…
CEO Phil Parsons said: “We don’t know what the FA will actually hand out. It could be a long-term ban, it could be a short-term ban, it could be a suspended sentence.
“As a club we hope they really recognize where we are at the moment and what we’ve been through because I think that has to be taken into account.
“I really feel like we’ve had enough. We’ve been hurt. I think this is one of the biggest sanctions in the history of football and sport.
“It’s not just about the club, it’s about the people. We lose money not being in the Premier League, but [local] Businesses lose money.
“We have had to incur significant legal fees and this has really had a further impact on the club. We don’t want to be seen as victims. We need to move on. Our cards have been dealt.”
When told that the club could sack Tunda Eckert in May, Parsons replied: “Yes, but Tongda also got the team somewhere around 20th in the Championship and without him and his team we wouldn’t be in the play-offs and I think that deserves a bit of loyalty.
“Well, he made a mistake and he paid dearly for it. It was already very difficult for him. I admire the strength he showed through this process because he was under so much pressure that a lot of people would have broken.”
On whether the club considered other managers in case Eckert was suspended for a long time: “No, no, no. We don’t look that way. Management wants to support Tonda. We don’t want to be seen as victims. We want to move on. Our cards have been dealt.”
Check out more in the video interview below…
Here’s how fans reacted as Toda Eckert and Phil Parsons spoke ahead of the FA’s verdict on Southampton’s spygate scandal…
@RobSc0tt: His reputation has been tarnished. The result was counterproductive and they missed out on promotion opportunities. The season started with a four-point deficit. In the end, three teams worthy of promotion were promoted. It’s fun, but I hope any further punishment isn’t too harsh. It’s time to move on.
@gabesutton: I personally don’t think further punishment is needed. The guy did something wrong, he apologized and the club accepted the consequences which I think were adequate. If he could take back what he did, he would. I think the mindset and circumstances behind his behavior are partially understandable, rather than condoning the behavior itself. This is something some of the most famous coaches in world football have done – it definitely doesn’t make it any easier to accept, but it does provide a degree of context around the possible subculture that might lead Tongda down this path. I think you can recognize that this is a win-at-all-costs mentality, a strong drive to seek any form of gain, while saying that the behavior he engaged in and encouraged is completely unacceptable, particularly within the context of British football culture. So, yes, what he did was completely wrong and should not be tolerated on any level – and it is. At the same time, further punishment felt like too much to me. At some point you have to distance yourself from the legend and trust people: learn from the experience and get better in the future.
@sanlavo: Agree with everything Tonda said here, however, I have a feeling the FA will set a precedent with this. I’m expecting a tough ban. It also feels like short-sightedness and mismanagement by the board. Of course, contingency plans are already in place. Suppose Parsons had just come out in support of Access.
@THESAINT_SFC: It took the FA months to get to this point. Southampton has been punished by the English Football League. Now we finally know what they want to do with Tunda Eckert. Just get the verdict out and omg #SaintsFC will make people angry
@LeBro88: All the PR released by the club regarding Tongda is worrying. It felt like they were expecting a bad outcome and were desperately trying to change the narrative. Also wonder if the decision took so long as the FA had to determine the legality of the ban #saintsfc
@RobPUSB: I don’t really like what Southampton did, but it would be foolish to sanction them further after a point deduction and a PO exclusion more than 4 months after this all happened. They’ve made an example, now it’s time to move on.