[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, Southampton manager Eckert and other club staff may face personal disciplinary sanctions from the Football Association. If the allegations of secretly spying on promotion play-off rivals Middlesbrough’s training sessions are confirmed, they could receive lengthy bans as the severest punishment. Southampton has been charged by the EFL with breaching Rule 127, which explicitly prohibits observing another club’s training within 72 hours before a match. Eckert, technical director Spoors and trainee analyst Salter may all be held individually accountable. The investigation will confirm whether senior officials instructed, encouraged or took part in the spying activity. The EFL has the right to order the club and its employees to hand over emails, call logs, WhatsApp messages and other relevant records. If Southampton is found guilty of other similar spying offences, point deductions next season are the most likely penalty, whether the team competes in the Championship or the Premier League. If the incident only involves Middlesbrough, the club stands a higher chance of being expelled from the promotion play-off final.
The editor believes that if the spying incident only involves Middlesbrough, Southampton are more likely to be expelled from the final, as compensation only needs to be paid to one club. If more clubs are implicated, expulsion would bring no benefits to the affected sides, making points deductions next season a more reasonable penalty.