Spors says Spygate left him in 'difficult position' as Southampton prepared for season
Johannes Spors said the Spygate scandal put him in a "difficult position" over the summer as Southampton prepared for the new season, he told BBC Radio Solent on 23 October 2026. He said the uncertainty affected planning for the squad and that the club ultimately chose to back head coach Tonda Eckert.
In May, Southampton were expelled from the play-offs and deducted four points after admitting they had spied on three clubs during the Championship season. The subsequent Football Association investigation put Eckert's future in doubt because it could have resulted in a personal sanction that would have threatened his job. The FA announced in early October that Eckert would be fined £28,000 and that a six-week ban would be suspended until the end of next season, allowing him to remain in his role. Saints could have sacked Eckert after he admitted his mistakes in May, but owner Dragan Solak and the board backed him.
"Of course, it did put me into a difficult position," Spors told BBC Radio Solent. "It was something that probably no-one, or at least not many sporting directors have experienced, planning into a season and a squad with that level of uncertainty. "I only felt one choice and I'm happy that everybody around me, including Dragan Solak, was very aligned. "We decided to go this route (backing Eckert) and take it with all consequences and I'm happy we've done that."
Spors was appointed Southampton's group technical director in February 2025 and he played a key role in the appointment of Eckert. He has previously held six sporting director roles at clubs including Belgian Pro League team Standard Liege and Serie A side Genoa.
"That was something I really focused a lot in the summer, to support him as much as I could," Spors said of his approach to Eckert while the saga continued. "We cannot forget that he's a young man with a lot going on in his life, coming into a new country as an unknown and being on the highest level of recognition pretty quickly. "I just wanted to make sure that he's OK as a human being. I helped him with everything I can with my knowledge, my expertise, but also my friendship. "I made sure that there are even more people around him who helped him, who have more expertise in certain things than I have and are specialists in areas that he needed help and support over the whole summer."
Saints have started the Championship season well and sit eighth in the table after 11 matches. They have the best home record in the league, unbeaten with five wins and one draw at St Mary's. On matchdays Spors can be seen in the directors' box alongside chief executive Phil Parsons and other members of the club's board.
"We have known each other for nearly 10 years," Spors said of his relationship with Eckert. "We worked in Italy and at Red Bull together so I developed a lot of parts of his career, the pro licence, and then the signing here to Southampton. "I was just convinced that he is a very good manager, there's always a little bit of risk that how does it really work in the reality, but I was super convinced that he would be the right choice. "Our relationship is close, we speak to each other nearly every day and support each other, we can also have hard discussions behind closed doors, where we challenge each other and I think that's as important as the support."
With the FA's early October decision to fine Eckert £28,000 and suspend a six-week ban until the end of next season, Eckert remains free to stay as Southampton boss.
