🚨 Championship Play-Offs EXPANDED To 6 Teams! Saints News + Fulham Preview

A very warm welcome back to your latest Saints news here on the channel Plenty to bring

to you today, press conference, reaction with Tonda Ekkert and we're also going to be

reflected upon the big breaking news from the EFL Championship because there is big

changes coming for the play of campaign next season.

Tonight we're going to be discussing that breaking news, we're going to be reacting

to it and I want your opinions in the comments box below.

Before we kick off, make sure you like the video, it will share it with other Southampton fans

and make sure you are subscribed to the Football Marting Channel. Today's show is brought to

you in association with our sponsors, DNS Carpets.

There's a big change coming in the EFL Championship that could dramatically reshape

the promotion rate to the Premier League from next season because more clubs are going to be

given that opportunity to fight for a place at Wembley. Is it a good idea? Is it a bad idea?

Let's get into it first and foremost, let's have a look at the story in its fall because the EFL

confirmed at lunchtime today that the championship playoffs will expand from four teams to six teams.

That's from next season onwards and they believe it will give supporters a lot more excitement

in the final few weeks of the season. They say it will keep more teams involved in the promotion

race and increase a competition for a place in the Premier League. So the proposal,

first and second will get automatic promotion as usual, third and fourth will directly qualify

for the semi-final stage, fifth versus eighth will play off in an eliminator match,

sixth versus seventh again in an eliminator match and the eliminated games will be one off ties

at the home ground of the team that ranked higher. The winners will then progress to two

legged semi-finals. The teams finish in third and fourth with the second leg played at the home

of the higher-place side. The two semi-final winners will meet at Wembley Stadium for a place

in the Premier League. So it's very similar to what they do in the national league. Although the

national league also operates a 16-player system, championship clubs have promoting two major differences

for next season. The semi-finals will be played over two legs rather than the one match.

The team finish in third will face the lowest ranked team remaining after the eliminated

games. Cubs believe that finishing higher in the league table should provide a clearer competitive

advantage and rightly so. The final format is expected to be confirmed later on this summer and

that won't be till probably around the start of the campaign for next year when they announce

all the fixtures. So my thoughts on it are as follows. They obviously want to, it's all about money,

it all comes down to money and but you can see it from the point of view of a lot of clubs that

don't get that opportunity. Peter Ritzdell, the chairman of Preston North End has been pushing

this big time, heard this on the radio today. He's been driving it. It's worth 200 million pounds

to a football club. The media writes a huge and all of this keeps the season alive.

It creates a lot more jeopardy. It will create a lot more interest. It will create more money because

football clubs are better filled stadiums more because there's more riding on games

and it opens it up to so many more clubs. If you look at this season, you would almost be looking

down at it. If it stopped today, you'd be looking down at like, you'd be looking at

knowledge, wouldn't you really? And then what, their 18th and the league, they would have a chance

of getting a place because they're so close to 8th. But Ritzdell was driven it. Everyone's

voting for this. You can see why they're voting for it because it is all about money and they

was something they wanted to do 20 years ago. So I'm in Jordan, said to them and talk sport.

They wanted to do this 20 years ago. But it's all about more money. It's all about more games,

more TV, more revenue, keeps tenders as high. And you know, out of everything, it creates more

engagement. And that's what they want. This is what it's all about. Football is all about engagement.

Us being involved. Us creating. We're talking about it now. It just creates noise. It creates,

it just creates money. And that is what it all comes down to. Is it a good idea? I'm not dead

against it by any stretch of the imagination. I'm not dead against it at all. I love all your

opinions. I'm going to read you some of the reaction on my Facebook page. But I did see today

that Adrian Durham from talk sport. I know he's not like the everyone, but I go have a lot

respect for him. He's said that he's been saying for many years the national league have

nailed it on how to do playoffs. The issue I see is the elimination round. Those eliminated

games and the teams finish higher up waiting. It's all about momentum. We'll bring some thoughts

from Tonda Eckert very, very shortly. But my Facebook page had a real mix bag of thoughts on

it today. The majority was negative. A Jose put what a joke. Mark went on to say it's all about

money, money, money, which is what I've just said. Steve went on to stay. Stop messing about with

football. That's what he said. Jeff putt is this a joke. A lot of people saying not keen on this.

The best teams go up white mess with it. Give me all your thoughts in the comments box below.

A gentleman called Simon Jordan also commented. It isn't the Simon Jordan, but he put mad and

there's too many games already. And now they add more. Totally absurd. That in a 46 game season,

you can finish eighth and get promoted. The only thing you say is that a team that does finish

eighth is going to have to go to them. They're going to have to go away from home and win and then

win two legged semi final and get to Wembley and win again. So it won't be easy to get to the

Premier League. But Sunday, the last year finishing sixth proved that you are. It's not always the best

team that goes up. They've done very well this season. But I get the points. Give me all your thoughts

and all your reaction in the comments box below. I'm not dead against it by any stretch of

the imagination. I get it from a commercial perspective, from a business perspective,

from the clubs perspective. You can see what they've voted for it. Be interested in those

Saints voting for it. Be very, very interested. Right. We come on to manager reaction, press conference

reaction, because Tonda Ecker, he was asked about these proposed changes to the playoffs next season.

And he went on to answer with this response. Yeah, I've seen that.

I think the only thing that we need to make sure that if you rank higher

at the end of the season, that you don't lose your rhythm and that becomes a disadvantage.

In other words, if you had a two week wait to play, you might lose your rhythm that way.

If you're lost, that's the seventh we can create. And then the third we wait before they come.

I think that's something that you need to watch out for, because sometimes it just helps you

after such a long season to stay in the rhythm. And once you lose that, it's sometimes not so easy

to get back in, so I think that's something to. Totally agree with what Tonda Ecker is saying.

It is about rhythm. I said that a minute ago, didn't I? Those eliminated games and how they're set

up, I would say that would be my biggest takeaway from it that hope that gets done quickly.

Be interesting to see how it looks. Like we say, we won't find out a bit more till closer to

next season. And then we can discuss it in a bit more detail then we'll react to it more. Then

on the right hand side of your screen, player of the month nominee Leo Cienza,

link is in the show notes below. Go vote for Leo. He has been nominated for the championship,

player of the month for the month of February. And what a month he had. He was absolutely

brilliant to make sure you do go and vote for Leo in that one. And you can also see on the

side of your screen, the club are now selling tickets for the Legends Game Against Man United.

It is on Saturday the 20th, 28th of March. I will be down there for that one. I'm very much

looking forward to it. Right. What else did Tonda Ecker say ahead of the game against

Fulham? It was his post game pre game, pre game, post game, pre game, press conference. And he

was asked a few questions around team news, a good news, Ross Stewart. He's expected to be involved

in the matchday squad on Sunday. However, it is still too early for Wellington and also Jay Robinson.

They're not quite ready to return. And Tonda Ecker was asked about the Academy players and whether

he will play those yet again. And he said, I think it's a game that is a bit different. And it's

a full week to prepare, no midweek game. And he said, the Fulham game will look a little different.

Here is what Tonda Ecker had to say. Yeah, I think that the game is a little bit different.

It comes up a different part of the season, different week that we come from. There was no midweek

game for us. So we've had a whole week to prepare. So I think that the Fulham game will look a little

bit different. Yeah, we'll look a bit different. And rightly so, with 5,000 fans going, I said it on

a podcast of an answer day, the fans will expect. There's a lot of people going to this game.

Saints will have incredible support at Craving Cottage at the weekend. So we sell nearly 5,000

tickets, which is quite incredible and unbelievable Matt fans going. We will be previewing that here

on the channel. And we do have a Fulham podcast adjoining us in the opposition view as well. Stay

tuned for that. Go hit the notification bell on the YouTube homepage and you will be notified

of when that goes live. Right, there's a bit of noise around Tonda, three, two, one. There was a

bit of noise this week around Casper Yanda being unsettled. And Tonda Ecker was asked about that by

Adam Blackmore in the press conference today. And here is his response.

Well, I've had somebody sent me there. I think when it came out and I was a very surprised,

I can say, 200% that it doesn't come from Casper. We are very happy with him and he is very happy

to be here. I think that has development over the season has been top. It's not so easy to play.

Those amount of minutes, especially in the first year, when you come into the championship and

you're not used to, there are some moments, I think, that's normal. But that's not for Casper,

it's for myself as well. If you're away from your family, that there might be some moments

especially over Christmas, where obviously you would appreciate to spend Christmas Eve with

your family. I think that's very normal. I can say that Casper is fully committed to

Southampton, fully committed to the group, to the season and everything that comes up.

Exactly what I thought he was going to say as well. Defended his player. And it sounds like

it's absolute nonsense from what Ecker is saying. He usually said there was no smoke usage

without fire. So why has that story come out and why is it in the press? An interest in one.

I just don't think that comes out if it's not come from somewhere. It has to come from somewhere,

but I think he's trying to brush it up and say, well, actually maybe it Christmas Eve is a bit

home sick. And he probably was. And he probably does go through moments where he's a bit home sick

because he's living in another country, playing in another league and it can't be easy. When you're not

happy not seeing your family and stuff, it can make you miserable, it can make you a bit depressed.

We all suffer. No matter how much money we earn and what jobs we do, it can affect people.

And that is just, that is life, isn't it? Unfortunately, we have plenty more coming up ahead of the

full-on game. plenty more. We're going to do the the pre-match preview tomorrow,

predicted lineup. And we will, yeah, we'll, we'll try and pick a team. There's a light to do that

and we'll get your score predictions tomorrow. So don't leave your score predictions in this video.

Make sure you leave it in the video tomorrow. Opposition view will be out tomorrow.

As well. I hope you've enjoyed the show. Get involved in the comments box below. Give me

all your thoughts on those proposed changes to the EFL championship and everything that

Tonda Eckert had to say. Good news around Ross Stewart. Very, very happy about that. I think it's

brilliant news that the, I think we're all panicking. It is injuries going to be a lot worse than

it actually was, but the good news is he will be involved. Hopefully, Jay Robinson's fitting

available again soon as well. And if you've enjoyed the show, make sure you like the video.

Smash the like on it. Subscribe if you haven't done so already. It's absolutely

free and I'm excited to announce. I do have a website coming very, very soon. A brand new

news website. And we're also going to be selling a little bit of merch as well. So stay tuned for

that. Thank you very much for tuning in and I'll see you again very soon.