Southampton’s promotion push has now been put on temporary hold, as the international break comes back onto the EFL calendar.
Indeed, the playoff candidates now have to wait until the Easter Weekend before they next play a competitive fixture, with a FA Cup quarter final showdown with Arsenal starting their slog of April matches.
Having a two-week break is likely frustrating, considering the South Coast giants are in deep with the flow of the tough division, with a 14-game unbeaten run staying intact with a 2-0 win over Oxford United.
But, it could also be very beneficial all the same, as Southampton might well thank their lucky stars that they had some downtime, ahead of a relentless fixture schedule next month, that sees them play seven matches, in the space of just 24 days.
Obviously, as well, Southampton will be thankful for the enforced break, as the likes of Shea Charles – who bagged a thunderbolt effort during the 2-0 victory – links up with Northern Ireland, while Daniel Peretz also features for his nation.
If Eckert and Co. just went on as normal, with all this international action taking place, the German’s first team options would be gutted.
The break in action will further allow Leo Scienza to get back to full fitness, as he was nowhere to be seen against Matt Bloomfield’s U’s.
Eckert took questions about the long break ahead, right after the dust had settled on his side’s straightforward 17th victory of the league campaign, with the much-loved manager seeing it as a great chance for a refresh.
Eckert’s clear message about the international break
While Southampton haven’t showed it as of late, legs will be tiring in Eckert’s camp.
Finn Azaz has referred to the group – in recent weeks – as performing like a “machine”, but even the most formidable teams cannot guard against fatigue settling in.
Eckert opened up about the break ahead, with the German clearly viewing it a great opportunity for a mental reset, as well as a physical one, ahead of the crunch matches left of the regular season, and even, the extended workload the playoffs could bring.
He said: “I think that sometimes less is more. There are so many games coming up now over the next two months.
It obviously looks a little bit different for the boys who go on international duty, but for the other ones, we try to find a good balance.
It’s not to make that a punishment or anything, but just to respect that you also need some mental freshness.
I think physically we’re on a good level at the moment, and we are able to put an idea onto the pitch even with not so much preparation.
Sometimes it’s easier if you are mentally fresh rather than having an additional day on the training pitch.
So it’s not necessarily an additional day off, but I think they have a good balance at the moment of days off and days where we come into work.”
This doesn’t mean the players that have stayed put on the South Coast will have it easy, but rather, everything needs to be managed appropriately, to ensure a burnout doesn’t derail the Saints, right when the season heats up.
Eckert will hope he can reap the long-term rewards of this extended 24-day break, as promotion is triumphantly secured, come May.
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