Ex-PGMOL chief predicts the 'likely ban' handed to Southampton boss Tonda Eckert
Tonda Eckert is likely to miss Southampton's opening matches of the 2026-27 season after being charged by the FA.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that he continues to be confused by the Saints boss' actions.
Just 12 days remain until Southampton's season kicks off with a Carabao Cup first round clash against Colchester United on Saturday, 8 August.
Supporters at St Mary's Stadium will be expecting to see their team battle for promotion once again, having finished fourth in the Championship last term, just four points off automatic spots.
Uncertainty remains over Eckert and his potential role in 2026-27, however, with the manager still waiting to discover his fate.
From a slap on the wrist to a six-month ban from matchdays, every outcome under the sun has been suggested, but Hackett is expecting a far more lenient approach.
Tonda Eckert faces touchline ban at Southampton
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett once again voiced his surprise at the situation, suggesting that Eckert could be handed a six-game ban.
"What amazed me about that old case is that, available to his technical staff, is a great deal of information," he said.
"We, as fans, see sometimes possession stats, passing stats, tackling stats. It's beyond me why someone would want to stand behind a tree with a pair of binoculars to see what they were doing on the training field.
"When you look at the Premier League, which is a global game, or even the Championship being equally covered by television, it is fairly easy for the technical staff.
"They're able to if it's set-piece free kicks, set-piece corner kicks to gather that information.
"Is it going to be six games where he's not on the touchline? It's going to be that level, I would suspect, and the outcome will likely be six games."
What games would Eckert miss?
Were this six-game ban to be instated ahead of the Saints' first game of the season, the squad would be thrown straight into the campaign without a leading figure.
The Colchester game in the Carabao Cup won't be so important. Promotion to the Premier League should be the No.1 priority next term.
Following that, Southampton face Watford, Stoke City, Millwall, Birmingham City and Lincoln City.
In the Championship, any of these teams could pose a huge risk to the Saints' chances of three points, especially without their talented manager on the touchline.