Southampton

"If you want to get a big name for management, then you've got to pay the big bucks.

"Do you want to pay compensation to a club to get them out if that means you don't therefore have enough money to get the striker over the line in January?"

BBC Radio Solent's Jono Holmes and Tom Murray look ahead to a reunion with former boss Nathan Jones as Saints visit Charlton on Saturday and what's occurring with the managerial position as Tonda Eckert continues as interim boss.

Listen to the full episode of Saints Social and more Southampton content on BBC Sounds.

Ray Hunt
Fan writer

Image source, Shutterstock

Sport Republic appear to be taking their time over their managerial appointment, and that is no bad thing, given their track record regarding recruitment.

Their fifth appointment was outgoing boss Will Still, who was relieved of his duties earlier this month due to a poor start in the Championship campaign, having seen just two wins from his 13 games in charge.

Enter Tonda Eckert…

Eckert has been given an extended stay at the helm due to his recent success of two wins from two, and probably deserves to be given more time beyond this international break.

I, personally, expected him to have been replaced during this hiatus. Appointing him on a permanent basis could be a huge risk given his inexperience, but he has certainly earned more breathing space following those crucial wins over QPR and Sheffield Wednesday.

Sport Republic will no doubt have used this international break to tout potential suitors, but as of yet, nothing is on the horizon. Which, I will repeat, is no bad thing.

Sporting Director Johannes Spors is casting his net in Germany and seemingly is not being rushed by Championship rivals Middlesbrough, Swansea and, up until this week, Norwich, who are currently conducting their own searches.

Sport Republic have appointed five permanent mangers in their three full seasons in charge. During that period, they have overseen two relegations from the Premier League, and one promotion with their only success, Russell Martin, but failed to give him the tools needed to succeed in the top flight.

Moving forward, fans will want to see an experienced manager, who's widely respected with a clear structure. We cannot repeat mistakes from the past. It is a huge task they simply have to get right.

Take your time, give Tonda time in that interim, but ultimately make the right decision. The fans won't tolerate another failure.

You can hear more from Ray on the In That Number podcast., external

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton interim boss Tonda Eckert is expected to remain in charge of the club on an interim basis for the time being.

Despite reports the German was going to be made Will Still's permanent replacement, it is more likely he will continue in his current role.

Prior to the international break, Eckert, 32, won both of his matches as interim boss, beating QPR and Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

"What I do think is that after two wins he has a shout," BBC Radio Solent's sport editor Adam Blackmore posted on X, external.

"But it more than likely could depend on the next three-game batch after the international break for which he could well still be in interim charge.

"Saints have spoken to candidates but they can afford to be patient with Eckert's good start and it allows them time to see the market develop so it's highly unlikely anything imminent occurs either way."

After the international break, Southampton have three games in the space of a week as they travel away to Charlton and Millwall either side of welcoming Leicester City to St Mary's.

"I think we could pick from the top shelf. I think even if there's a manager we want who's in a job, I think we could pick him and he would come.

"I think [Tonda] Eckert has made it a little bit tricker. He's come in and got the players to play for each other and for the club and for him. He's put himself on the map."

BBC Radio Solent's Jono Holmes and former Southampton forward Jo Tessem discuss back-to-back wins for the Saints and whether interim boss Tonda Eckert has impressed enough to earn the permanent role at St Mary's.

Listen to the full episode of Saints Social and more Southampton content on BBC Sounds.

"If you look at it on paper, a former player for the club, had a really good couple of stints in charge - from that perspective a really good potential option."

With Rob Edwards going to Wolverhampton Wanderers, should Middlesbrough turn to someone who spent time at the Molineux to continue their promotion hunt?

The 72+ team are joined by Chelmsford City striker Lyle Taylor and Peterborough Sports boss Phil Brown to discuss whether former Wolves head coach Gary O'Neil is the right man for the now vacant managerial seat at Middlesbrough.

They also get stuck into who should replace Will Still at Southampton, assess the departures of Alan Sheehan and Liam Manning from Swansea and Norwich City, as well as taking a look at Derek Adams' new role at a struggling Plymouth Argyle.

What a week, eh?

Listen to the full episode of the 72+ podcast and more on BBC Sounds.

"It's maddening. It's the same patterns playing out and to be honest, similar patterns to what we saw last season at a lot of games where Southampton would score a goal, take the lead and then fall apart."

BBC Radio Solent's Jono Holmes looks back on Southampton's start to the Championship season with Simon Peach, the chief football writer of the Press Association, and Saints content creator and fan Martin Sanders.

Listen to the full analysis and more Southampton content on BBC Sounds.

Interim Southampton boss Tonda Eckert said it had been a "pleasing week" for the club and himself after wins over QPR and Sheffield Wednesday.

The Saints beat the Owls 3-1 on Saturday with goals from Caspar Jander, Finn Azaz and Adam Armstrong.

Victory meant that Southampton had won consecutive league games during the regular season for the first time since April 2024.

"It has been really pleasing week for us," Eckert said after the game.

"There were some moments of the game we could have been better, especially in getting over the line.

"But I just told the boys in the room to not underestimate what we have done this week, I have to compliment the players for the resilience they have shown in the last two games.

"I have enjoyed every single day so far here with the football club, it meant a lot to walk out with the team today, there was a lot of humility and dignity for me - it was a special moment."

Image source, Getty Images

The south coast derby between Portsmouth and Southampton has been moved to Sunday, 25 January at 12pm.

It had originally been set for the Saturday at 3pm but, mirroring the game between the two teams in September, it has now been moved to the Sunday with an earlier kick-off.

Earlier in the season Southampton and Portsmouth played out a competitive but fairly disappointing 0-0 draw at St Mary's after plenty of build up and needle between the two rivals.

The derby now moves to Fratton Park, and Saints will have a different manager in the dugout following the sacking of Will Still.

Southampton are one place above Pompey in the table, sitting 19th on 15 points while Portsmouth are 20th and have 14 points.

Image source, Opta

Southampton will seek to win back-to-back league games for the first time in more than 18 months when basement-boys Sheffield Wednesday visit on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

After three straight defeats ended Will Still's tenure at St Mary's, Saints held on to win 2-1 at QPR on Wednesday under interim boss Tonda Eckert to climb to 19th, six points clear of the bottom three.

Wednesday were pegged back to draw 1-1 at home to Norwich on the same night to make it eight games without a win and remain bottom on -4 points, still effectively 18 short of safety.

• Southampton have won each of their past four league games against Sheffield Wednesday, and recorded a league double over them the last time they met in the Championship (2-1 away, 4-0 at home in 2023-24).

• Sheffield Wednesday are looking for their first away win against Southampton in the league since November 1997 (3-2), having failed to win on any of their last eight league trips (D2 L6).

• After beating Queens Park Rangers last time out (2-1), Southampton will be aiming to win consecutive league games during the regular season for the first time since April 2024 (a run of three under Russell Martin).

• Only Portsmouth (10) have scored fewer goals than Sheffield Wednesday (11) in the Championship this season, with the Owls underperforming against their expected goals total by five goals (11 scored from 16.15 xG).

• Leo Scienza has scored two goals in his past three Championship games for Southampton, including what turned out to be the winning goal versus QPR last time out (2-1). Both of his goals have been scored in away matches, with the Brazilian still looking for his first at St. Mary's in the competition (four league appearances).

"Oriol Romeu coming back to the club, I think it's put a smile on everyone's face. It's like having an old friend turn up. He hasn't played much for months, he's 34 years of age, but I think he can only be a great addition to that dressing room even if he's not on the pitch."

Adam and Jo assess Southampton's re-signing of Oriol Romeu, share their thoughts on a Saints win in London over Queens Park Rangers and talk through the managerial situation at the club following a successful first interim game in charge for Tonda Eckert.

Listen to the full episode of Goin' Home with Adam and Jo and more Saints on Sounds.

Southampton secured their first Championship win in seven games on Wednesday with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Queens Park Rangers in their first fixture since the sacking of manager Will Still.

With Under 21s boss Tonda Eckert in charge of the first team temporarily, club captain Jack Stephens was recalled to the starting 11 for the first time since September.

"It always means a lot to me when I play for the club," Stephens told BBC Radio Solent.

"It's a great group and that's why it's difficult when we get doubted. But we deserve to be doubted with the performances that we've put in."

Southampton's winless run of form included three losses on the bounce prior to the win at QPR. Saints sit 19th in the Championship but are just eight points from the play-off places.

"We're all responsible for the start of the season that we've had, it's nowhere near good enough for this football club and we want to turn things around," Stephens said.

"We've had to really stick at it and try and switch that momentum and hopefully tonight we've done that with that result and can kick on for the rest of the season."

Interim manager Eckert made a winning start in charge and put his stamp on the team by making four changes to the starting line-up, recalling Stephens and putting Gavin Bazunu in goal in place of Alex McCarthy.

"It comes from a gut feeling sometimes. It definitely wasn't a decision against Alex because he's done excellent, it was a decision for Gav," Eckert explained to BBC Radio Solent.

After notching a win, Saints host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 BST) looking to get back-to-back league victories for the first time this season.

"We want to become a winning team and for that we need to invest every single day and go again on Saturday," said Eckert.

"My job is to prepare the team in the best way possible for today and for Saturday."

Listen to the full interviews with Stephens and Eckert and more Saints on Sounds.

"The easiest thing to do is to get rid of the manager. The problem is people think that is the answer.

"There's a lot more to Norwich, a lot more to Southampton than who is that man standing on the touchline, and that's where the questions need to be asked."

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff are joined by Chelmsford City striker - and the joint-highest scorer in the FA Cup so far - Lyle Taylor to talk Will Still's exit from Southampton and debate whether Liam Manning can turn things around at a struggling Norwich City.

Listen to the full episode of 72+ and more on BBC Sounds.

Managerless Southampton will look to end a five match winless streak as they make the trip to Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

The Saints sacked boss Will Still on Sunday after a dismal start to the season sees them just one place above relegation by three points, having lost their past three successive games.

While for the Hoops, it's been a much more topsy-turvy experience.

The London side have won five league games but also lost five so far, though three of those losses have come within the past four games.

• Queens Park Rangers won their first home league game against Southampton this century in January 2006 (1-0), but have since lost five of six home games to the Saints (W1).

• Southampton have won each of their last four league meetings with Queens Park Rangers, and could win five on the bounce against the Rs for the first time in the Football League.

• QPR have taken four points from their two midweek (Tue/Wed/Thu) Championship games this season (0-0 v Oxford, 1-0 v Swansea), last avoiding defeat in each of their first three midweek fixtures of a league campaign in 2015-16 under Chris Ramsey (W1 D2).

• Since the start of last season, no team have lost more away games in the top two divisions of English football than Southampton (18 – level with Watford).

• Southampton's Adam Armstrong has scored six goals across his last seven league appearances against Queens Park Rangers, only netting more times across his English league career against Birmingham City (8).

Image source, Getty Images

Following Will Still's sacking, we've been listening to your thoughts.

Not all of you blame the 33-year-old. Indeed, many of you are looking at the players and the owners.

Paul: The common denominator isn't the manager, it's the owners. They need to stop using us as a feeder club for the Turkish league and get to grips with English football or sell it to someone with a more professional view.

Robert: Sadly for Will Still, he was just one mistake in a club full of them.

The board and players must share responsibility in the recent failures.

Ethan: This is a real mess. Very poor management has led a young man to have a big career set back through no fault of his own.

Irresponsible appointment by Sport Republic in the first place. Best wishes Will.

Trev: Will Still wasn't the problem, he did the best with what he had. The issue has always been Sport Republic.

They have been a disaster for our club since they arrived - two relegations in three seasons, four victories in 50-plus games, the recruitment has been woeful, the manager selection has been questionable at best.

All Sport Republic are interested in is buying cheap and selling on for a profit. I've been a fan for 45 years, I've never seen the club in this bad a shape before.

Matt: We have not addressed our issues for years. Even the season we were promoted, our defensive frailties were blatantly obvious but people who make the decisions couldn't see it.

Players have left, new additions come in, but have we improved? Sadly not. Owners need to take the blame.

"I feel sad for the fans, two league wins in 12 months. It was the anniversary on Sunday to 2 November [2025] when Saints beat Everton in the Premier League.

"The stadium is empty on the pictures behind us in studio, and it was almost like that at full-time on Saturday. Once you start getting reducing crowds, and the attendance is slowly drifting down and down - that is when the board start panicking."

Jono Holmes is joined by BBC Radio Solent sports editor Adam Blackmore and Southampton blog writer Glen de la Cour to discuss Will Still's departure from the club and where the Saints go next.

You can listen to the full episode of the Saints Social and more Southampton content on BBC Sounds.