Saints boss Eckert reveals police protection amid threats during 'Spygate'

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has revealed he received police protection amid threats during the Spygate scandal.

Saints were banished from the Championship play-off final in May when they admitted to spying on three clubs during the season after they were caught observing a Middlesbrough training session ahead of the first leg of their play-off semi-final.

The EFL charged Saints after it was later found they had also observed sessions involving Oxford and Ipswich.

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Southampton will also start the upcoming season on minus-four points as part of the punishment.

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News' Mark McAdam, Saints head coach Eckert discusses the impact of the Spygate scandal, the ongoing FA investigation and his belief that he retains the support of his players.

How have you been able to deal with the last few months?

"It's been an emotional summer. I can't lie, obviously, when the news broke towards the back end of last season, it's tough. It's not easy in that very moment. It's not easy to look into the eyes of the players. They're just so disappointed, and so many emotions coming out.

"You get so many threats at one point. You have police protection at one point; you can't drive a car. It's tough to deal with that for the very moment.

"When things calmed down with time, and I went back home, different challenges at home, you have a moment to reflect. I think that over the months there's also been a lot of positives that we can take into next season. After a couple of weeks, that excitement comes back in to go again and show what we are about. That's been the feeling since coming back into the training ground. We are in the second week of pre-season now. Players have come back in very good shape, with a smile on their face and ready to go again."

When you say police protection and threats, what do you mean by that?

"You can imagine how it is towards the end of the season when emotions run high. Normally I try to stay off social and not read too much, but there's always a couple of things that come through.

"It's been a big wave, a very big wave publicly towards the end. We were around for a couple of days longer to sort some of the things that needed to be sorted and to have a first look ahead. It's been some tough days."

Were you in fear of your own personal safety and your family's safety?

"I brought my family back home to Germany, so they were out of the country in that moment. But yes, of course, when you have a direct line to the police, because they tell you that they don't know what's going to happen to you at home, and you always have someone that you can reach in case something happens.

"You receive messages, some of support. There were also some very nice messages in the last days, but also a couple that were not so nice. Yes, some challenging days."

You're still under investigation by the FA at the moment - what's the latest on their investigation?

"I went to London two weeks ago, and then there was an invitation for an interview. I think it's been very professional. It took quite a few hours to just go through everything that has happened, and now we're waiting for a response."

How important is it that that response comes sooner rather than later?

"I think that the process has started; now we wait for a response. I think on our daily work it doesn't influence us so much; because once you're out on the pitch, you're out on the pitch, and then there's work to do. It's nice to be back on the grass, but obviously it's a question that needs to be answered."

Have the FA given you any indication as to how long the investigation may take?

"I wish there was a clear timeline, but I think they'll come back to us shortly and then we'll know how things move on."

Do you feel like the players are behind you?

"Yes, and it's been exciting. It's been exciting to come back in last week. I think it's not just Daniel [Peretz, who joined permanently from Bayern Munich], I think there's a couple of players that have made a statement.

"And it was an easy decision on the back of the performance of Daniel, Cyle [Larin - joined permanently from Mallorca] and also James [Bree - new three-year deal] to take a chapter elsewhere. And I think it just shows that they are committed to the football club, to the project, to what we work for and what we go for in the next season.

"I think the statement couldn't have been bigger on the back of how our season ended."

Do you feel you've got to build bridges with the rest of the football community with some hostile receptions next season?

"I think that will be part of the story for next season. Obviously away games are always challenging; I think they'll be even more challenging next year. So, I think we need to be very united with the inside, the core of the football club, obviously including the supporters, and then represent the shirt and represent our colours in the best way."

Do you have a few regrets about what you've done? And what lessons will you learn from what's happened?

"It's been tough because we've built up something I think very special over many months, and I've said that in a message to our supporters, that I take responsibility for how the season has finished.

"At the same time, I've never had the intention of breaking a rule. I've come into this football club in November, and next week I'll be joining the EFL for a briefing. I haven't had that in the last season, but I've used the summer to talk to some senior football [people] in English football, to many managers.

"I've gone through all 131 rules in the appendices of the EFL regulations, so obviously going into a season there are many decisions to make, always. But I'm never going to make a decision based on a rule that I don't know at that very point.

"There's a lot of reflection over the summer, and I think in order to move forward, to show humility in the way we approach the next season, and then connect to all of the positive things and the excitement that we've had over many games.

"I have reflected on many things, and I've said this throughout the hearing as well: I've never had the intention to bring anything into disrepute. I've taken the time over the summer not just to know all of the rules, not just of the EFL but also of the FA, but more to understand where they come from and to understand the culture behind that.

"That is definitely something that is not going to happen again in the next season, that I take any decisions on rules that I don't know about at that very point or a culture that I haven't dived in deep enough to understand where that rule comes from."