Eckert defends spying claims
June 3, 2026 · 14:10 7 min read 4 views
Tonda Eckert has repeatedly argued that spying is viewed differently in his native Germany. When Southampton manager Tonda Eckert apologised to fans for the Spygate scandal in a video broadcast on Tuesday, he maintained that spying on opposition teams' training sessions is a widespread practice in Germany. He said that during his time in Italy, starting line-ups were often leaked to the media before games because training sessions were regularly observed by media and opposing teams. Eckert noted that Guardiola has also spoken about this practice in Germany, where teams would watch each other's training sessions, knowing that others would do the same.
Eckert, who took charge of Southampton's first team in the autumn, claimed his lack of knowledge about rules banning spying led to the English Football League throwing Saints out of last month's Championship play-offs. He said there are different rules in England and the EFL, and he should have been aware of them. Eckert now faces an investigation by the Football Association into his conduct and could be handed a ban if charged and found guilty. Eckert stated that he is a young coach, has made a mistake, and takes full responsibility.
Spying can be conducted more easily in Germany because many Bundesliga sides hold open training sessions that the public can attend. In theory, there's nothing stopping an opposition staff member from attending and recording observations. Guardiola revealed that his Bayern side was subject to spying between 2013 and 2016, with no rules banning it in the Bundesliga. He said that in other countries, everyone does it, but it's more difficult in English football. At Munich, there were people with cameras watching what they did, and everyone wants to know everything - that's not just football, it's society.
There have been several high-profile cases of spying in Germany. RB Leipzig manager Ole Werner admitted to using drones to fly over opposition training grounds and sending staff to hide in bushes when he coached Werder Bremen. In one instance, Werder had to apologise when a video analyst was caught flying a drone over Hoffenheim's training ground, leading to a police investigation. A journalist who followed Union Berlin for a season witnessed the club's sporting director chase away a Werder staff member spying on the team by threatening to send a photograph of him to a newspaper. Former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic disguised himself as a steward to watch a Real Madrid training session before a Champions League fixture in 2013. However, these examples don't necessarily mean every team in Germany is spying on rivals.
In cases where spying does occur, the reaction is often mixed. The general feeling is that spying is a minor issue and not a major concern.
Eckert, who took charge of Southampton's first team in the autumn, claimed his lack of knowledge about rules banning spying led to the English Football League throwing Saints out of last month's Championship play-offs. He said there are different rules in England and the EFL, and he should have been aware of them. Eckert now faces an investigation by the Football Association into his conduct and could be handed a ban if charged and found guilty. Eckert stated that he is a young coach, has made a mistake, and takes full responsibility.
Spying can be conducted more easily in Germany because many Bundesliga sides hold open training sessions that the public can attend. In theory, there's nothing stopping an opposition staff member from attending and recording observations. Guardiola revealed that his Bayern side was subject to spying between 2013 and 2016, with no rules banning it in the Bundesliga. He said that in other countries, everyone does it, but it's more difficult in English football. At Munich, there were people with cameras watching what they did, and everyone wants to know everything - that's not just football, it's society.
There have been several high-profile cases of spying in Germany. RB Leipzig manager Ole Werner admitted to using drones to fly over opposition training grounds and sending staff to hide in bushes when he coached Werder Bremen. In one instance, Werder had to apologise when a video analyst was caught flying a drone over Hoffenheim's training ground, leading to a police investigation. A journalist who followed Union Berlin for a season witnessed the club's sporting director chase away a Werder staff member spying on the team by threatening to send a photograph of him to a newspaper. Former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic disguised himself as a steward to watch a Real Madrid training session before a Champions League fixture in 2013. However, these examples don't necessarily mean every team in Germany is spying on rivals.
In cases where spying does occur, the reaction is often mixed. The general feeling is that spying is a minor issue and not a major concern.