According to various media sources, Johannes Spors has made up his mind about who will succeed Will Still at St Mary's and he is set to make that appointment ahead of the clash with Birmingham City on Saturday and he could be the new Nigel Adkins
The rumour mill is about to turn and several media outlets are starting to claim that they have been told an appointment is imminent at St Mary's.
They claim that Saints will be looking for a man who can emulate Nigel Adkins, a man who got Saints promoted to the Premier League and then built the foundations for a mid table finish back in the top flight.
But who is the man for the job, of that they are not so certain, footballfancast.com claim that it could be Michael Carrick, they suggest that with all things adding up, experience, both as a player & manager, Carrick is the man that Saints will turn to, that they will value that higher than the attributes that Tonda Eckert has shown in his short term in charge.
They also say that the club will be looking towards the Premier League and therefore a man to continue the good work should he get Saints promoted and have the experience to keep them up.
But saintsmarching.com claim that the man who will take charge of the team against the Blues on Saturday will be more familiar, that Saints will ignore experience and appoint Tonda Eckert.
They claim:
"The details of his contract may take some time to be clarified but a two-year deal could be the most likely. Eckert could be given the remainder of this season to find his feet and get the team as close to the top six as possible before expectations rise. Either way, he would be expected to guide Southampton back to the Premier League within two years."
This will raise some hackles in the Saints support who have complained that the club has gone down this route far too often under Sport Republic, their first appointment of Nathan Jones was a disaster and then when they put their faith in Ruben Selles things didn't get much better.
The third appointment of Russell Martin initially went quite well as he lead the team to promotion, but he found himself floundering in the Premier League and then the appointment of Ivan Juric who although experienced was a disaster.
Then came Simon Rusk who could not really be blamed for relegation in that we were already down and Will Still who ended his short tenure like a rabbit in the headlights.
So Sport Republic have not got a good track record and Johannes Spors although responsible for only one permanent manager, got that wrong.
So it is all eyes towards St Mary's on Saturday to find out if Thursday or Friday is the day that white smoke appears over St Mary's, this time for the announcement of a new manager and not like two years ago when the warehouse next to the ground burnt down.