Eckert calls for energy and fight
Tonda Eckert has called for energy and fighting spirit from Southampton’s players as he prepares to take interim charge for the first time ahead of tonight’s trip to QPR (7.45pm GMT).
Under-21s Head Coach Eckert has overseen a flying start from his team in Premier League 2, with Saints sitting fourth in the table having lost only one of their first eight league outings.
More than 10,000 fans were in attendance to see Saints’ youngsters fight back to earn a point against Real Madrid in the Premier League International Cup last week.
Seven days on, Eckert has been preparing the first team for tonight’s Championship clash in West London, before Saints return to St Mary’s to host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (3pm GMT).
“Energy,” he said, when asked what he wants to see from the players. “We need big energy on the pitch, we need to get our fans back on our side and be fighting for three points.
“Two very busy days but a clear focus: a clear focus to go into two very important games for Southampton Football Club, and to try to maximise the little time that we have to prepare the boys in the best way possible.
“I think it’s always about finding the right balance of not giving [too much] information but still getting some ideas across. I feel that we’ve had two very good training sessions (Monday and Tuesday), and we will be ready to go.
“I think we are facing a very good side, a very well-coached side and a team that has big qualities when the spaces open up, so that is going to be the challenge for us: to control that, and be dangerous down the other end.”
When asked about the availability of his squad, Eckert replied: “More or less all as it was [against Preston on Saturday]. We still have a couple of question marks behind a couple of players, but we will have a very strong side.”
