Tonda Eckert: How boss as revitalised Southampton in Championship promotion push
Tonda Eckert has Southampton looking upwards again after an impressive spell so far as manager. Watch Southampton vs Coventry City live on Sky Sports Football from 11am on Saturday; kick-off 12.30pm.
Thursday 18 December 2025 15:56, UK
Tonda Eckert has mustered more wins for Southampton in eight games than the club had previously managed in 51 attempts since the start of last season.
Brought into the club in July to manage the under-21s, the 32-year-old was thrust into the main job in November following the dismissal of Will Still.
The Saints had started dismally, and were labouring just above the relegation zone after just two wins in 13 games.
Since then, the turnaround has been stark. Six wins, 22 goals scored. A rise from 21st in the table to 10th - now just four points off the play-offs. Initially taking the role on an interim basis, he was appointed permanently after four wins from his first five games in charge.
Even last week, as they were beaten for just the second time under Eckert at Norwich, it took a missed Adam Armstrong penalty and a very controversial winner for them to be beaten.
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What has Eckert changed?
In a bid to find results, Still had flipped to a back three in the latter part of his reign, but to no avail. Eckert has continued with it but made it work.
Perhaps he was a touch fortunate with his first couple of games, facing a QPR side that were very out of form then hosting Sheffield Wednesday, which helped instill some confidence into his creative players and forwards.
Eckert has them playing in a more expansive fashion, but it seems to be reaping rewards. They are conceding more chances than they did under Still and playing with less control, but he is trusting of Southampton's talented attacking players to get them over the line.
But he also reintroduced Finn Azaz into his favoured central attacking midfield role, and his performances have been key.
Signed by Still at the start of the season, the former Middlesbrough man had mustered just one goal and assist before Eckert's arrival. Since then, there have been six goals and three assists.
His creativity has also been key in getting the best out of Adam Armstrong. He may have missed that crucial penalty against Norwich, but before then there were seven goals and three assists in Eckert's first seven games in charge.
He went from massively underperforming his Expected Goals (xG), to becoming the top scorer in the Championship. He once again looks like the clinical forward we saw in his previous second-tier spells.
'The team has not really looked back'
Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff says the turnaround in Southampton's attacking players has been remarkable.
"Azaz is a proven player at this level," he said. "He was a big-money signing and now he's kicking on. Adam Armstrong - his proven pedigree at this level. Leo Scienza has been fantastic.
"When you watch them now, I think there's a little bit more attacking intent - in terms of how quickly they move the ball. They were getting in decent positions under Still but they just weren't taking those chances.
"As forward players, and certainly those of us who played in those forward areas, once you get that first one, there's a sense of frustration around and disappointment at not taking some of those chances, but this man [Adam Armstrong] - incredible.
"Some of the types of finishing. He's got everything in his armoury. Since that first win under Eckert, the team's not really looked back."
'Still may be looking on in disbelief'
Sky Sports' EFL Editor Simeon Gholam:
There is no doubting the impact that Tonda Eckert has had on this side since his appointment, and the tweaks he has made have reaped significant rewards.
But beyond all the metrics, it is confidence that has proven invaluable for the Saints in their upturn. Creating chances was never an issue during Still's spell, but there was simply miss after miss.
Some of the spurned opportunities at times bordered on the comical, with a Caspar Jander effort against Swansea, in particular, one that springs to mind.
There must be times when Will Still has been looking on in disbelief, seeing this new version of his former side putting chance after chance away.
The biggest test yet awaits
Coming up on Saturday may be Eckert's biggest challenge yet, as Southampton host league leaders Coventry City at St Mary's, live on Sky Sports.
With 17 points between them, it may be too late for the Saints to catch the Sky Blues, but it presents an opportunity to bounce back from last weekend's defeat at Norwich and lay down a marker that they are right in this promotion battle.
"It is a cracker of a game," David Prutton told the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast. "You might look at that second half from Southampton against Norwich and say the creative side was not quite there, and there were hints of that against West Brom, where they could have let it slip in the second half.
"That will be taken as a warning sign, and I would expect a response this weekend."
Eckert himself also sees it as the perfect opportunity for his side to respond.
"If you have big ambitions for the season you have to be disappointed with Saturday (but) it's important to clear your head," the Southampton boss told the BBC. "We'll be fully prepared to go big on Saturday.
"There are moments in which we need to improve. It takes a little bit of time, I know time is not always available in football and we want to be quick and implement things quickly, but I think we are heading in a good direction in general.
"Compliments to what Coventry have achieved so far, but we will be ready on Saturday.
"It's a perfect game for us. I love playing at St Mary's. We've been quite successful in our [recent] home games. We are full of energy and will be all-in."
