Southampton have been boosted ahead of the Championship play-offs, as head coach Tonda Eckert confirmed his hopes to have a full squad at his disposal, bar one player.
The Saints visit the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough on Saturday, in the first leg of their Championship play-off campaign, before hosting the Teessiders at St Mary’s just three days later.
In his pre-match press conference, Eckert welcomed the return of three important players for the vital fixtures ahead, but stressed that his selection focus was on Saturday – and Saturday only.
Saints welcome return of trio
Southampton’s Jack Stephens and Kuryu Matsuki have both returned to training ahead of the Championship Play-Offs, in a huge boost for Tonda Eckert’s side.
When asked about the pair’s progress in his pre-match press conference, Eckert revealed, “I’m quite positive that we will have a squad at full strength for the games coming up. Yes [on whether Matsuki is training as well].”
Flynn Downes will also return for the clash at the Riverside, after serving a three-game suspension for violent conduct, in another very welcome return for Southampton.
On the return of their midfield general, who has started the lion’s share of games under Tonda Eckert, the German head coach said, “It definitely doesn’t hurt. In the weeks before that suspension he was only getting better and better. He will be as fresh as possible and very important for us.”
The Saints have a near-full selection pool. Everybody, apart from Mads Roerslev, who hasn’t featured in a Southampton squad since November 2025, is set to be available.
Eckert focused on one game at a time
A very in-character Tonda Eckert appeared before the media on his Wednesday pre-match press conference, earnestly saying, “We need to focus on the job. Not looking too far behind or ahead. We’re not talking about three games [from promotion], we’re talking about the game that’s coming up on Saturday.”
Then, when asked if he’d take a draw from the first leg, he said, “No, that’s not the way we approach games and never has been. We will go there to win, do everything to win, and see where we stand.”
It’s the same approach that Eckert always takes for games – taking them one at a time and going only to win, but only time will tell whether it’s the right one for a two-legged tie.
With his team’s confidence sky-high, Eckert and the Southampton players will be full of the belief that they can do what he says and deliver a performance worthy of bringing back to St Mary’s.
Discussion about this post