BBC Sport - Southampton owner Dragan Solak says he will not sack Tonda Eckert, despite the "mistake" the head coach made when authorising a spying campaign against rival Championship clubs.
"I think he deserves a second chance and I would give it to him," the Serb businessman told BBC Sport in an exclusive interview.
"My full support would be behind him actually, because I think he's a super-talented manager."
After a short spell as caretaker boss, Eckert was appointed on a permanent basis in December to lead a Southampton side who were involved in a relegation fight. He guided them not only to safety but to the Championship promotion play-offs after a fourth-place finish.
However, Saints were expelled from the play-offs after admitting observing opponents' training sessions, and they have been deducted four points for the 2026-27 season.
An independent disciplinary commission said that Eckert, the club's 33-year-old German boss, accepted he had orchestrated what it called a "contrived and determined plan from the top down".
On Monday, it was revealed that a junior member of staff claimed that Eckert's proposals had placed them "under extreme pressure" to carry out a task they were uncomfortable with and felt was morally wrong.
Details emerged after the publication of the written reasons of an arbitration panel appointed to hear Southampton's appeal against their punishment. Eckert was said to be "surprised" to learn that EFL regulations prohibited the practice.
"I believe Tonda that he didn't know that it was the rule that he was breaking," said Solak, whose media company acquired a majority stake of the club in 2022.
"My personal opinion, and the opinion of the board, is that he is a manager who deserves to be backed by us and to be supported by us. I will obviously seek advice from the team. I will seek advice from the players, from the fans. But yes, if it's ultimately my decision, he stays."
Speaking from Slovenia, Solak added: "In Italy or in Germany, where Tonda was working, this is basically common practice that nobody cares about."
However, Solak said he also issued Eckert with a warning. "I told him: 'You almost broke my heart. You do it again, you'll kill me. The next time I see you in July, if you don't know the EFL book of rules by heart, you can't work for me. Because, we can't have another mistake.'
"I truly hope that he will learn from this experience and he will achieve an incredible career."
What if FA bans Eckert?
Southampton admitted to charges of spying on Oxford United and Ipswich Town in the regular season, and then Middlesbrough before the play-off semi-final. The Football Association is investigating the scandal and could yet decide to charge Eckert.
When asked what he would do if Eckert was eventually banned by the governing body, Solak said: "I can support him even if he's banned, but I can't make him manage if he's banned. My support comes from a very simple legal situation where there is no double jeopardy.
"Whatever crime you did, you can be sentenced only once. I think we were 'over-sentenced'. The punishment that the club received was severe and completely disproportionate to the mistake that we made. We lost our chance to win £200m.
"But if they're going to go again and then double that with [a] ban, we might appeal. But he will have my support through the process. But if he's banned, he's banned. I mean, I can't put somebody to manage the club if he is not allowed.
"I'm looking at him as a young, extremely talented manager - the guy who took our club when we were 21st in the table and brought us almost to direct promotion. I am amazed that Tonda is willing to come back in this hostile environment after the witch hunt he had in the media.
"I'm pretty sure if the FA decides to ban him, he will get a triple better-paid job in Italy or Germany."
When asked if it was fair to call it just "a mistake" when, under Eckert, Southampton had spied on three rivals, Solak said, "It was three times out of 46 games. If he would do it on an industrial level, he would do it on every game. Right?"