Every word Southampton FC’s Eckert said on Birmingham trip

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Do you think your squad is physically in a good place for Tuesday?

TE: Yeah, I think so.

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It must have been nice to have been able to take players off after 75 minutes against Millwall?

TE: There’s so much to consider always in a game.

It doesn’t happen too often that you can just with half of an eye look ahead because these games in the Championship, they rarely give you the opportunity.

Even those games, as clear as they seem, they change quickly. That’s just the reality.

We always do the substitutions that the game requires.

I am sure that we have a good day of recovery tomorrow. It’s going to be very, very light on Monday.

Then we have our last session Tuesday morning and then travel to Birmingham.

Prowsey returns 🥹
Saints hit FIVE ✋

Head behind-the-scenes at St Mary’s 🎬 pic.twitter.com/elzt2dlvWR

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) August 30, 2026

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Did you watch Birmingham’s win at Wrexham on Friday night?

TE: No.

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What have you made of their results and performances so far?

TE: From the bits that I have seen, obviously, I’m going to watch that game tonight, but from the bits that I have seen so far, it’s a team that has gone a little bit more direct than I remember them to go last season.

I think [it’s] one of the toughest grounds to go to, especially if it’s a night game.

I actually think that we have one of the toughest games ahead of us on Tuesday and we need to make sure that we are ready to go.

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Will you be working tomorrow (Sunday)?

TE: Always. That’s the life of a manager. That’s the reality. But I also don’t need my legs on a matchday, so that’s fine.

I’ll start tonight, then we’ll meet with the staff tomorrow and then hopefully be able to present something for Monday for the players. Then take that into Tuesday.

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Is there anything close in way of exits?

TE: Yeah, I think there might still be a little bit of movement over the next days.

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Does it make a difference having deadline day on a matchday because you focus on the match and Johannes Spors focuses on the business?

TE: Yeah it does, but it still makes a difference.

I think it’s not easy to put a game on the last day of the transfer window.

It’s not easy because sometimes it is what it is. You have agencies and you have players and you might have interest or not, but to have a game on the very last hours of the transfer window, I think we take it as it comes.

We’ll be prepared, like always. But yeah, it’s a challenge. I think it is a challenge.

Not for me, my work and the way we prepare [for] the game. They will all be fine.

Just like you say, the movements are more for Johannes to have a look at, but I still think it’s probably not the best time where I would place a game.

(Image: Stuart Martin)

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Are you expecting any of your key players to be involved in any potential discussions on deadline day?

TE: No I don’t think so, and maybe you shouldn’t have said that to me.

For the game itself, I’m positive. We will recover and we will have a very, very good team on the pitch.

But it is true, obviously, that towards the last day of the window there’s always more noise than on other days, and that’s just as much for us as for the opposition.

So we’ll make the best out of it and make sure that we put in a good performance.

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Do you want to add to your squad still or are you happy with what you’ve got?

TE: Both.

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Has Taylor Harwood-Bellis been at the stadium to watch these games while he’s been absent?

TE: First of all, it’s been my decision not to put him in the matchday squad.

I think it’s good for all parties involved if that gets resolved quickly.

Again, we don’t have many more days now to come, so I think we’ll have an answer very soon.

What I can say, again, I’ve been talking to him every single day. He’s been very professional, in the building every single day.

I think we’ll have some clarity in the next 48, 72 hours.

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Is Cameron Bragg developing physically in the way that he can play multiple games a week?

TE: I think he could in his whole career. I think that’s never been an issue.

You can have Braggy run 13 kilometres three times a week.

That’s not the thing, I think the games demand a little bit more emotionally than games in the PL2 and academy games.

Physically, it’s never been an issue for Braggy.

I think his legs are going to carry him throughout his whole career, but if you step up, obviously emotionally these games are a little bit different in how much you need to perceive, how many decisions you need to make, and I think that’s more the challenge if you play more games throughout the week.

Physically, I think Braggy has been top always.