Southampton's German-Italian Coach Eckert Eyes Premier League Return
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has detailed the profound Italian influence on his coaching philosophy as he aims to guide the Saints back to the Premier League. The 33-year-old German, who took charge of the first team in November, has overseen a remarkable turnaround, lifting the side from 21st in the Championship to playoff contention and an FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal this Saturday.
Eckert's methods are deeply shaped by a four-year stint in Italy, primarily at Genoa, where he worked as an assistant to Alberto Gilardino and Patrick Vieira. In an interview, he revealed that colleagues in England now tell him he is "more Italian than German," a label he embraces. He credits his time in Serie A with teaching him the importance of intuition and in-game adaptation alongside meticulous preparation.
His education continued at Coverciano, where he graduated first in his class from the UEFA Pro licence course, an experience he sought to understand a different footballing culture. Eckert highlighted the humility of world champions like Gilardino, Vieira, and Miroslav Klose—with whom he worked at the German FA—as a defining trait he tries to instill at Southampton. He began his career as an analyst for Germany at Euro 2012 before moving into coaching.
The young coach arrived at Southampton last summer, initially to manage the Under-21 side, a move suggested by sporting director Johannes Spors. Eckert believes those early months were crucial, allowing him to understand the club's identity based on player development, community connection, and performance ambition. He was promoted to the first-team helm in early November and promptly embarked on a 14-match unbeaten run across all competitions.
Now, with Southampton sixth in the table and facing Mikel Arteta's Arsenal in the FA Cup, Eckert's focus is clear. He stated that the club's objective has always been promotion, despite the daunting task of changing a mentality forged during a dismal 25-point Premier League season last year. The upcoming cup tie is approached with confidence, with Eckert emphasizing the need to believe victory is possible against higher-level opposition.
Looking ahead, Eckert expressed a desire to manage in the Premier League, ideally by achieving promotion with Southampton, but also acknowledged an ambition to work in other countries like Spain to experience different football cultures. For now, his entire focus is on completing Southampton's revival, a project built on lessons learned far from the English south coast.
