EFL Playoffs 25/26 (Saints booted out of final and given 4 point deduction - pg34)

SDAddick said:

fenaddick said:

Eckert might be in hot water...

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/tonda-eckert-southampton-spying-scandal-b2979852.html

Oh there's no way he keeps his job. He can't, ban or not. If you're the club, you can't have him as the head of your club. Either he didn't know about it (doubt it) and he was being undermined by an intern, or he did know about it, and he just cost your team the Playoff Final*.

*Appeal not withstanding.

ShootersHillGuru said:

SDAddick said:

Wow. I've just got back from doctor's appointment to see the news. I really didn't think the EFL would do this. I'm in a bit of shock. The appeal should be interesting. 

I kind of feel like Soton won it on the pitch, regardless of the help, so results on the pitch should be upheld. But I think I'm also more Laissez-Faire about the whole cheating thing. I think it's something with a very finite benefit.

I can't see the final taking place on Saturday at this rate. Southampton will appeal and I can't imagine a decision is made quickly enough for the final to go ahead.

We're in uncharted territory!

So there is some benefit gained by cheating. You’re ok with that ?

I wouldn't necessarily say that. I would say that the benefit does not equate to the punishment. And I'm not faulting the EFL for that, it's more the equation on the cost-benefit analysis by Southampton (whoever made that decision) does not pan out. I'm more like "that's a huge punishment for a marginal gain," does that make more sense?

I'm also not convinced Southampton are the only side that do this, I just think they're the ones who got caught. We know it's prevalent in Germany and generally on the continent. Again, doesn't make it right, but I also feel like this is something that's tough to regulate out of the game (though the EFL sure is giving it a good go).

I made this point regarding other clubs' practices, SD & am amazed that it has hardly been commented on here.

No way saying that it should be allowed under the rules but I simply cannot believe that it isn't a "regular" occurence in this day & age. 

Southampton clearly made a pig's ear out of their attempt to gain some pre match advantage & have been made to pay a huge price for being caught out.

For the fans, regardless of the questionable behaviour of some in the semi final ( and don't ALL clubs have such ?) it must be heartbreaking. I can't imagine how I'd feel had such a bombshell exploded a week or so before any of our Play Off Finals. As usual, it is the faithful - the innocent parties that suffer most- financial considerations apart. 

A line has now been drawn. The tick box exercise of the Appeal will inevitably rubber stamp the original decision. 

But as a fan, I'm increasingly uncomfortable with the decision to throw the club out of the Final. 

Alternative outcomes have been discussed here of course & I'll hold my hands up to admit that I don't have an acceptable solution. 

My thoughts are with the life blood of this club.

And James Bree 

HastingsRed said:

_MrDick said:

I would expect Southampton to have a thorough investigation and sack all of those involved for gross misconduct. I have a small amount of sympathy for the intern as he was probably acting under instruction. But this is Southampton.. it’ll all probably be brushed under the carpet 

Doubt they will sack the manager.

They will if the EFL give him a one year ban!?

soapboxsam said:

HastingsRed said:

_MrDick said:

I would expect Southampton to have a thorough investigation and sack all of those involved for gross misconduct. I have a small amount of sympathy for the intern as he was probably acting under instruction. But this is Southampton.. it’ll all probably be brushed under the carpet 

Doubt they will sack the manager.

Tonda Eckert won't be the manager next season at Southampton.
Unless the owners and directors are all in on this nonsense then he will be sacked for gross misconduct and I would believe a ban from English Football and no club in England would touch him with a barge pole after a ban.

Not sure about the attitude in Germany to this spying?

Don't mention the war !!

charltonbob said:

O-Randy-Hunt said:

Bloody brilliant. Bet Harwood-Bellend feels a right mug.

Seen this mentioned a few times, am I the only one on here that doesn't have a clue what he's done ?

guinnessaddick said:

The play-off final between Hull and Middlesbrough will kick off at 3:30 pm on Saturday.

Should the appeal go in Southampton's favour, the game will revert to a 4:30 pm kickoff.  🤷🏻‍♂️

Maybe half 3 is when the appeal will be decided on so they have an hour to quickly change all the signs around the ground to Southampton from Middlesbrough.

blackpool72 said:

stoneroses19 said:

Not knowing the rules is no excuse. 
It's like breaking the law and getting caught and saying you never knew it was against the Law.

Given the laws were toughened after Leeds got away with just a fine - ignorance as a defence is even less excusable.

HastingsRed said:

_MrDick said:

I would expect Southampton to have a thorough investigation and sack all of those involved for gross misconduct. I have a small amount of sympathy for the intern as he was probably acting under instruction. But this is Southampton.. it’ll all probably be brushed under the carpet 

Doubt they will sack the manager.

I honestly don't see how he can keep his job. For the club to gain any ounce of respect back over this, the owner has to condemn their actions and sack him and his staff.

Leuth said:

SporadicAddick said:

There have been a few comments on here asking if Southampton had spied on us, or suggesting they may have. 

I asked Google AI for the definitive position on this, and it has confirmed that the answer is no, they didn't spy on us, for some very clear reasons.

Can we stop trusting language models please 

Who trusts them? This demonstrates why not!

msomerton said:

A radical solution to this issue for the future.
Every team can send a scout to the training of their next opponent to report back what is being done, this be done through out the season, then no one can pull any surprise set pieces ,  or open play ones on each other.

Just decriminalise murder and we’ll no longer have a murder problem. 

Karim_myBagheri said:

Wrexham forward Josh Windass has called for the Championship play-offs to be replayed with the Welsh club taking the place of Southampton.

The media world will definitely support that.. 

Zero chance of this happening because there's a ruling in place that all club matches have to be played by 24 May ahead of players joining up with squads for the world cup. It's why the Championship final was moved from it's usual Monday to the Saturday, and why the EFL are desperate to get the final played on this date without having to move it.

Only the Champions and Conference league finals are exemptions from this.

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Karim_myBagheri said:

Wrexham forward Josh Windass has called for the Championship play-offs to be replayed with the Welsh club taking the place of Southampton.

The media world will definitely support that.. 

Zero chance of this happening because there's a ruling in place that all club matches have to be played by 24 May ahead of players joining up with squads for the world cup. It's why the Championship final was moved from it's usual Monday to the Saturday, and why the EFL are desperate to get the final played on this date without having to move it.

Only the Champions and Conference league finals are exemptions from this.

Not true on the final.  Champ play off final was Saturday last year also, with no summer torunaments. 
It makes more sense to have the EFLs highest profile game on the day most people associate with football (Sat) for tv audience.  I never understood why it was Monday before when 90k likely have to go back to work the next day