| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle 16:34 - May 21 with 1982 views | Pinewoodblue |
The "Barnsley miracle" refers to the highly successful 2020/21 EFL Championship season under manager Valérien Ismaël, heavily aided by young German assistant coach Tonda Eckert. Tasked with avoiding relegation when they were struggling, the coaching staff miraculously turned the Tykes' fortunes around, transforming them into a high-pressing team that remarkably finished 5th and reached the Championship play-offs |  |
| |  |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 18:53 - May 21 with 1691 views | IndependentlyBlue |
*twirls moustache* Hmmmm? |  |
| Better to stay silent and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 19:46 - May 21 with 1462 views | darkhorse28 |
His record at coaching, is sensational. He’s the best in the championship for sure.
Everything else will come out, but he’s probably thinking it’s just normal in Europe, no excuses, he knows the rules.
But let’s not detract from his coaching, he’s top top draw.
See ‘McBurnie is a terrible footballer because he has a driving conviction’
Best stats in the championship, and a point the other way, we’d have craved his goals, assists, and best shot conversion in the league .., wasn’t our striker 238th best conversion rate?
Best coach in the league. Best striker in the league (at what he does). Questionable ethics : )) |  | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 19:49 - May 21 with 1461 views | RonFearonsHair |
Not that remarkable. They had Chappers. |  | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:00 - May 21 with 1411 views | franz_tyson |
I'd imagine he's a very good coach. If he gets sacked, he'll be picked up pretty quickly.
Agree that Saints get kicked out.... but I still think the major reason they climbed the league so quickly was because they have a very good squad of players and a good coach. They're daft and it serves them right.... but even though this cheating might influence the odd situation in games, I can't believe it got them that winning streak. | | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:32 - May 21 with 1263 views | NthQldITFC |
Willie Eckertslike. |  |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:36 - May 21 with 1232 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:00 - May 21 by franz_tyson |
I'd imagine he's a very good coach. If he gets sacked, he'll be picked up pretty quickly.
Agree that Saints get kicked out.... but I still think the major reason they climbed the league so quickly was because they have a very good squad of players and a good coach. They're daft and it serves them right.... but even though this cheating might influence the odd situation in games, I can't believe it got them that winning streak. |
Nah. He’s cooked.
This is the kind of sh1t that sticks and stinks. Any previous good runs he had and any he has in the future will have a huge question mark over them.
He’ll never shake this off and he’ll be full of dents where CEOs have pushed him away with 10ft barge poles. |  |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:59 - May 21 with 1125 views | Bigalhunter |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:36 - May 21 by Cheltenham_Blue |
Nah. He’s cooked.
This is the kind of sh1t that sticks and stinks. Any previous good runs he had and any he has in the future will have a huge question mark over them.
He’ll never shake this off and he’ll be full of dents where CEOs have pushed him away with 10ft barge poles. |
Doing exactly the same thing didn’t seem to damage Bielsa’s reputation much.
I’m not convinced he’ll become the pariah you imagine, however desperately Wrexham, Derby and Leicester are frantically trawling through cctv footage to give them something to cling to…
I’m amazed Arteta hasn’t started whining yet.
Southampton probably cost him the double and came within a few minutes of outwitting Pep’s dubiously financed little band…must have been spying on them as well, surely? |  |
| It used to great on here when people let me say whatever I wanted and giggled along - (Rough translation of post from un-named TWTD contributor, 2026) | | Poll: | September 2025. Which one? |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:05 - May 21 with 1089 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:59 - May 21 by Bigalhunter |
Doing exactly the same thing didn’t seem to damage Bielsa’s reputation much.
I’m not convinced he’ll become the pariah you imagine, however desperately Wrexham, Derby and Leicester are frantically trawling through cctv footage to give them something to cling to…
I’m amazed Arteta hasn’t started whining yet.
Southampton probably cost him the double and came within a few minutes of outwitting Pep’s dubiously financed little band…must have been spying on them as well, surely? |
Bielsa did it once.
I'll be amazed if there aren't further revelations to come from this one.
It was also premeditated and organised at an exceptional level.
Getting Eastleigh FC kit to dress in for our training to go un-noticed.
Ensuring that clothes were stashed in the Boro golf club bogs to change into to make a getaway.
Totally different to what Bielsa did. [Post edited 21 May 21:15]
| |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:11 - May 21 with 1044 views | norfsufblue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:05 - May 21 by Cheltenham_Blue |
Bielsa did it once.
I'll be amazed if there aren't further revelations to come from this one.
It was also premeditated and organised at an exceptional level.
Getting Eastleigh FC kit to dress in for our training to go un-noticed.
Ensuring that clothes were stashed in the Boro golf club bogs to change into to make a getaway.
Totally different to what Bielsa did. [Post edited 21 May 21:15]
|
seems the spying on us was for team information as committed on the day of the game.... surely that wouldnt have been the first time they did that then |  | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:30 - May 21 with 946 views | Bigalhunter |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:05 - May 21 by Cheltenham_Blue |
Bielsa did it once.
I'll be amazed if there aren't further revelations to come from this one.
It was also premeditated and organised at an exceptional level.
Getting Eastleigh FC kit to dress in for our training to go un-noticed.
Ensuring that clothes were stashed in the Boro golf club bogs to change into to make a getaway.
Totally different to what Bielsa did. [Post edited 21 May 21:15]
|
Not quite what he said at the time.
This came up from the Guardian website after a brief check on google…
‘I observed all the rivals we played against and watched the training sessions of all opponents,” said the Leeds manager in the course of an extraordinary, unscheduled, press conference cum coaching masterclass at the club’s training headquarters near Wetherby. | |
| It used to great on here when people let me say whatever I wanted and giggled along - (Rough translation of post from un-named TWTD contributor, 2026) | | Poll: | September 2025. Which one? |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:38 - May 21 with 918 views | waveneyblue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:59 - May 21 by Bigalhunter |
Doing exactly the same thing didn’t seem to damage Bielsa’s reputation much.
I’m not convinced he’ll become the pariah you imagine, however desperately Wrexham, Derby and Leicester are frantically trawling through cctv footage to give them something to cling to…
I’m amazed Arteta hasn’t started whining yet.
Southampton probably cost him the double and came within a few minutes of outwitting Pep’s dubiously financed little band…must have been spying on them as well, surely? |
This seems to be way more calculated and contrived than Bielsa's effort.
Not to mention that there were specific rules in place this time.
Apart from that, spot on. |  | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:39 - May 21 with 914 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:30 - May 21 by Bigalhunter |
Not quite what he said at the time.
This came up from the Guardian website after a brief check on google…
‘I observed all the rivals we played against and watched the training sessions of all opponents,” said the Leeds manager in the course of an extraordinary, unscheduled, press conference cum coaching masterclass at the club’s training headquarters near Wetherby. |
OK. My mistake.
He was fined for one game. Said he spied on all of them, but the only rule broken by doing it was 3.4 - “In all matters and transactions relating to the league each club shall behave towards each other club and the league with the utmost good faith.”
Eckhert has broken 3.4 and 127 - "prohibits any Club from observing, or attempting to observe, another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match between the two Clubs."
Bielsa had a genuine mitigation that what he did, wasn't at the time illegal. Southampton do not have that luxury. | |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:41 - May 21 with 892 views | TheMover |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:00 - May 21 by franz_tyson |
I'd imagine he's a very good coach. If he gets sacked, he'll be picked up pretty quickly.
Agree that Saints get kicked out.... but I still think the major reason they climbed the league so quickly was because they have a very good squad of players and a good coach. They're daft and it serves them right.... but even though this cheating might influence the odd situation in games, I can't believe it got them that winning streak. |
He is likely to receive a 12 month ban from football if the FA find him guilty, in my opinion | | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:54 - May 21 with 816 views | Bigalhunter |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:38 - May 21 by waveneyblue |
This seems to be way more calculated and contrived than Bielsa's effort.
Not to mention that there were specific rules in place this time.
Apart from that, spot on. |
Bielsa admitted to spying on the training sessions of every rival.
So far, Southampton have only admitted to x3 and they didn’t win any those games.
They probably did the same as Bielsa and did it to every rival once the new man was in charge but I imagine that’s going to be pretty difficult to prove, retrospectively.
You’re right though, the rules were altered following Bielsa’s admission and Southampton are bang to rights.
Still actually find the whole thing rather amusing, probably because, selfishly, it didn’t actually have any material effect on our season.. | |
| It used to great on here when people let me say whatever I wanted and giggled along - (Rough translation of post from un-named TWTD contributor, 2026) | | Poll: | September 2025. Which one? |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:56 - May 21 with 798 views | waveneyblue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:54 - May 21 by Bigalhunter |
Bielsa admitted to spying on the training sessions of every rival.
So far, Southampton have only admitted to x3 and they didn’t win any those games.
They probably did the same as Bielsa and did it to every rival once the new man was in charge but I imagine that’s going to be pretty difficult to prove, retrospectively.
You’re right though, the rules were altered following Bielsa’s admission and Southampton are bang to rights.
Still actually find the whole thing rather amusing, probably because, selfishly, it didn’t actually have any material effect on our season.. |
In absolute fairness, I totally and utterly agree with your last paragraph.
Its lovely to not be involved, for once! | | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 22:03 - May 21 with 749 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 21:54 - May 21 by Bigalhunter |
Bielsa admitted to spying on the training sessions of every rival.
So far, Southampton have only admitted to x3 and they didn’t win any those games.
They probably did the same as Bielsa and did it to every rival once the new man was in charge but I imagine that’s going to be pretty difficult to prove, retrospectively.
You’re right though, the rules were altered following Bielsa’s admission and Southampton are bang to rights.
Still actually find the whole thing rather amusing, probably because, selfishly, it didn’t actually have any material effect on our season.. |
I did wonder earlier if Southampton might admit to more, and effectively 'rip off the plaster', the penalty for which would be far less than anything coming to light at some later date.
They have already had the WhatsApp and some internal communication leaked.
The risk of being 'caught' later, say after the start of the season, would be significant. | |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 22:08 - May 21 with 713 views | GlasgowBlue |
|  |
| |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 08:34 - May 22 with 249 views | Bucklebury_blue |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:00 - May 21 by franz_tyson |
I'd imagine he's a very good coach. If he gets sacked, he'll be picked up pretty quickly.
Agree that Saints get kicked out.... but I still think the major reason they climbed the league so quickly was because they have a very good squad of players and a good coach. They're daft and it serves them right.... but even though this cheating might influence the odd situation in games, I can't believe it got them that winning streak. |
Nothing to do with spying then? I think he’ll be serving a ban before anyone can pick him up | | | |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 09:10 - May 22 with 147 views | WolfieAtTheBack |
| Eckert .. the Barnsley miracle on 20:00 - May 21 by franz_tyson |
I'd imagine he's a very good coach. If he gets sacked, he'll be picked up pretty quickly.
Agree that Saints get kicked out.... but I still think the major reason they climbed the league so quickly was because they have a very good squad of players and a good coach. They're daft and it serves them right.... but even though this cheating might influence the odd situation in games, I can't believe it got them that winning streak. |
Announcing him as your new coach would be a PR disaster for any club along with external ridicule and endless memes online.
I am sure Ashton has him on his radar, that would be so Mark Ashton. | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
