Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has walked out of his post-match press conference at the Riverside this afternoon, refusing to address questions about the 'spygate' scandal that has engulfed his club.
The dramatic exit came after the Saints played out a goalless draw with Middlesbrough in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
It's fair to say the atmosphere was tense from the start, with journalists keen to quiz Eckert on allegations that a member of his staff was caught spying on Boro's training sessions ahead of the crucial tie.
The German boss, however, wasn't having any of it and eventually left the room alongside his press officer.
Southampton boss Tonda Eckert walked out of his press conference
|SKY SPORTS
The whole saga kicked off on Thursday at Rockliffe Park, Middlesbrough's training ground, when Boro staff spotted a man capturing photos and videos of their session.
When confronted and asked to delete the footage, reveal his identity and explain why he was there, the individual reportedly fled to a nearby indoor area of the complex.
Southampton have since been charged by the EFL with breaching their regulations, with the league alleging the man was a member of the Saints' analysis team.
An Independent Disciplinary Committee will now decide on the matter, with potential punishments ranging from a simple fine all the way up to expulsion from the competition.
When pressed on the allegations during the media conference, Eckert kept his cards close to his chest.
Much of the build-up of the first leg was dominated by talk of a Southampton spy in the Middlesbrough camp
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"I think the club has made a statement yesterday evening and I think that is all there is to say at the moment," he said.
Asked whether the incident came as a surprise, he added: "I think we can talk about this, and I know these questions are coming up, but I think that we shouldn't get distracted from the importance of these two big games. These big games always belong to the players, and I think the focus belongs to them."
Southampton could only draw against Middlesbrough at Riverside
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But as reporters continued pushing for answers about the scandal, Eckert grew visibly frustrated.
His press officer eventually intervened, making clear no further spygate questions would be entertained unless they related to Tuesday's second leg.
When the very next question touched on the controversy again, both men got up and walked out together.