You Legend: Manager Adored It

Recent WhatsApp messages have shed light on how Southampton executed a spying operation targeting their Championship competitors.

Junior staff members testified to the independent disciplinary commission that head coach Tonda Eckert exerted “extreme pressure” on them to undertake tasks that they felt were ethically questionable and made them uncomfortable.

The details of these communications are outlined in the written findings of the League Arbitration Panel, which was convened to address Southampton’s appeal against being expelled from the Championship play-offs and receiving a four-point penalty for the upcoming season.

Southampton admitted to charges of spying on Oxford United and Ipswich Town during the regular season, as well as Middlesbrough prior to the playoff semi-final.

The written report described Southampton’s actions as a “contrived and determined plan from the top down”, which was sanctioned by head coach Eckert.

Newly revealed WhatsApp messages in the League Arbitration Panel’s report further illustrate how this plan was devised.

The messages provide insight into the following:

A junior analyst tasked with observing Oxford United during their training session before a December match messaged colleagues, stating: “I didn’t really have an option and wasn’t provided an opportunity to say no. I was an intern and was doing what I was told.”
After relaying details from that session to his supervisor, he received a WhatsApp message stating: “You legend. Manager loved it.”
When approached to conduct a second spying assignment on Ipswich, he expressed his reservations but was informed that “the boss is adamant that someone needs to go.”
Upon being caught, another analyst at the club messaged a colleague, saying: “I said all along I was never happy about it all & it wasn’t right but no one listened to me!”

The document elaborates on how the intern was detected by Middlesbrough’s staff while observing their training in preparation for the playoff semi-final in May.

It also reveals that he discovered Southampton had been accused of spying while he was still on his return train journey from Middlesbrough.

Furthermore, it describes how Southampton attempted to erase online images of the intern.

‘I didn’t really have an option’

A junior analyst intern was dispatched to Oxford’s training ground two days prior to their December 26th clash. After Oxford replaced manager Gary Rowett, Eckert wanted insights into the likely formation they would employ under caretaker Craig Short.

In his testimony, the junior analyst intern remarked: “I didn’t really have an option and wasn’t provided an opportunity to say no. I was an intern and was doing what I was told.”

He noted that the dismissal of another analyst earlier in the season added pressure to comply with tasks that made him uneasy.

Throughout the assignment, he sent updates, photographs, and videos to Southampton’s coaching staff.

Based on his observations, he deduced that Oxford would field a back four instead of a back five, leading to a predicted lineup that was relayed to Eckert, including insights from the intern’s observations.

The junior analyst intern later had a phone call with Eckert to discuss the information he gathered.

However, Eckert denied having viewed the footage, asserting that the information had no bearing on their match preparations.

A WhatsApp message from an analyst to the junior analyst intern, however, indicated otherwise: “Try and make out as much as you can please. You legend. Manager loved it.”

Analyst spied on Ipswich wearing Eastleigh kit

Southampton faced Ipswich in a crucial match towards the end of the season, with both teams vying for second place.

During this time, Ipswich trained at Eastleigh Football Club.

A first-team coach informed another analyst that Eckert had previously stated in a match preparation meeting that “someone should go to Eastleigh to observe Ipswich.”

The assistant coach approached the junior analyst intern about traveling to Eastleigh, insisting “the boss is adamant that someone needs to go.” Although uncomfortable with the idea, the intern initially declined.

Another analyst mentioned feeling pressured as well, positioning himself with the junior members of the team and ultimately went along with the plan.

This individual requested an Eastleigh kit along with an explanation of his supposed role at the National League club before proceeding to spy on the training sessions.

Filming of the entire session at Eastleigh was done and subsequently sent to Southampton, enabling them to accurately predict Ipswich’s lineup for the upcoming encounter.

While Eckert later claimed he only learned of CCTV footage from Eastleigh a couple of hours before the match, he admitted that someone from Eastleigh had forwarded it to Southampton.