Southampton are preparing for the possibility of a managerial change, with Rob Edwards emerging as a contingency option should Tonda Eckert receive a lengthy ban from the Football Association. The club are awaiting a verdict on Eckert's misconduct charges relating to the Spygate scandal, which saw the club spied on three Championship rivals last season.
Chief executive Louis Harris acknowledged the situation this week. "Listen, I'd rather we weren't in this situation, but we need to come to the reality that this is something that could happen today, so we need to have contingencies in place," Harris said.
The Spygate fallout
Eckert admitted to the spying, which led to Southampton's disqualification from last season's play-offs and a four-point deduction applied to their current campaign. Without the deduction, they would be in the play-off positions. The FA's decision is expected in the coming days. The team's recent form, with just one win in their last five league matches, has been compounded by a leaky defence, conceding an average of 1.75 goals per 90 minutes this season. A look at the full stats reveals the scale of the challenge.
Edwards' credentials
Rob Edwards, 43, has been out of work since being sacked by Wolverhampton Wanderers in June. His Championship experience makes him an attractive candidate who could step in without a lengthy adaptation period. Chairman Phil Parsons has appealed for context in any sanction. "What we hope as a club is they actually recognise where we are at the moment, and what we've already been through, because I think it has to be taken into account," Parsons said.
The uncertainty comes as the team prepares for a key south coast derby against Portsmouth at St Mary's on 11 October, a key fixture in the season's fixtures. Edwards' immediate availability is seen as a key factor in Southampton's planning.
This story first appeared at The Telegraph
