Real Madrid came to the South Coast to face Southampton in the Premier League international cup, the Spanish team neatly left with all three points too until Abdul Okunola equalled the scoring late on.
Eckert, who took over the Under-21s team in the summer, was very proud of how his team stayed in the game: “These last-minute equalisers are always nice. To hang in the games that are getting tight is very difficult. The boys have done very, very well today.”
Captain Cameron Bragg, who made his debut against Blackburn on Saturday for the first team, shared his delight after the game: “I’m incredibly proud of the team, when making the jump to men’s football and really understanding what it takes to get a result when it’s tough, sometimes you can’t replicate a moment like this”- he revealed.
The Southampton academy manager also had no shame in admitting that his team knew La Fábrica were going to be an extremely hard opponent, but this would not change his mindset approaching the game.
“Just like every game, we go in there to win, so the preparation was going in there to win the game of football. Obviously a very strong opponent, but the team dug deep and got the draw.”
There was very little to separate the teams at half time as the teams were deadlocked at 0-0, the 20 year old captain explained what the manager said going into the second half: “he told us at half time that in the second half they were going to come at us with intensity it’s Real Madrid they are a very good team!
“we needed to fight and suffer and with the suffering came the reward all it takes is just one moment of quality and we got something out of the game.”
10,906 fans attended the Premier League international cup game and none of them would have been disappointed with the finish they got to the game.
Bragg expressed that: “They are a very a good Real Madrid team and I am incredibly proud, I want to say a massive thank you to all of the fans that came out to support us today”
The German manager revealed that it is always nice to get a late equaliser, especially as the goal came from a Gavin Bazunu header that ricocheted off the crossbar into the path of Okunola.
Bazunu and Jay Robinson both started in the first game of the competition for the season, with Robinson getting 66 minutes in the tank.
Eckert revealed that the general feeling was that this was a very good time for the pair to collect minutes: “We are always in close communication with the first team, and I think there was a common decision that this was the right moment for them to collect some minutes.”
“I think the stage was right and a very, very good moment for them to be on the pitch today.”
Robinson has made 10 appearances this season for the first team, and Eckert is a firm believer that competitions like the Premier League International Cup, PL2, and National Cup are perfect for his team to make progression into the first team.
“I think all of these are excellent for the boys’ development. For me, it’s all about developing players, that’s what we take pride in getting the boys to play first-team football as quickly as possible, and if we manage to get some results along the way, it’s a nice by-product.”
The 32-year-old manager expressed that he thinks if you look at the competition (Premier League International Cup), it is excellent, as it offers very different competition to what his side are used to.
Eckert, displayed that he is really enjoying his time on the South Coast, prior to losing 3-1 against Leicester last weekend in the PL2 his team was six games unbeaten in the league.
Southampton’s next game in the competition sees them play Monaco on Tuesday, the 2nd of December, at the Silverlake Stadium.
