From 21st in the Championship when he took over to the thick of the play-off race and an FA Cup semi-final.

It has been some rise for Southampton under Tonda Eckert.

But he is more aware than anyone else of how quickly things can turn. It even happened to him in the middle of his reign. Seven winless games between mid-December and mid-January.

Since then, however, there have been nine wins in 12 unbeaten league matches, and an incredible run in the FA Cup that has seen them reach the final four, beating Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

It has been some job done so far since stepping up from the academy role to take over from Will Still, but in Eckert's mind his achievements mean nothing yet.

Image: Eckert won the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month award for February

"It's nice if you get some appreciation if you win football games," he tells Sky Sports. "We are going in the right direction at the moment. But you know how quickly things can turn. That's the nature of the game.

"It's nice to get a round of applause every...