Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Sat 23 May 2026 9:46, UK

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Liam Rosenior is among those in the race to replace Tonda Eckert as the Southampton manager awaits his fate.

The German has admitted his involvement in the spying operation that has gripped the footballing world and resulted in the Saints’ expulsion from the Championship play-off final, dubbed Spygate.

Eckert and Southampton continue to be under investigation by the FA and could face further punishment, with the manager almost certainly set to lose his job.

A stunning saga began when Middlesbrough caught a member of opposition staff recording their training session from behind a tree in the build-up to the play-off semi-final.

Southampton had won the tie, but were banned from the final and hit with a four-point deduction for next season after admitting to spying on opponents before other games that followed Eckert’s appointment.

Scott Parker leads race to replace Tonda Eckert

Football Insider exclusively revealed this week that Southampton are set to sack Eckert, even if he is not hit with a ban by the FA.

The situation has been a source of huge embarrassment for the Saints, who had their appeal over the severity of their punishment dismissed on Wednesday.

Decision-makers will be far more furious about the financial ramifications, however. Southampton have lost out on in excess of £200million due to expulsion from the play-off final, which they would have been favourites to win.

Eckert had got his team playing incredibly well. The Saints have lost just one game, to Manchester City, since January, winning 18 and beating the likes of Coventry City and Arsenal in that time.

But the German can not conceivably stay on as manager after such a huge scandal, which has seen him throw sporting integrity to the wind.

His sacking appears inevitable, and one major bookmaker has named Scott Parker as the favourite to replace him at 5/1.

The former Burnley manager, who left by mutual consent last month, is followed by John Mousinho (6/1), Rosenior (6/1) and Sean Dyche (8/1).

Liam Rosenior hoping for career revival

Rosenior has gone from an exciting managerial prospect at Strasbourg to a risky appointment in a matter of months.

The 41-year-old was brought in at Chelsea and had initially looked to be implementing some strong form after the exit of Maresca.

It quickly fell apart, however, and the Englishman led his side to defeat in seven of his final eight games in charge, with that solitary win coming against League One side Port Vale.

Rosenior started out in the Championship with Derby County and Hull City, and he may get a chance to revive his career with a return there.