Eckert explains decision to loan Archer and Ehibhatiomhan involvement | Daily Echo

The 24 year old signed for former Saints boss Will Still at Ligue 1 side Auxerre for the season, and he scored on his debut against Lyon on Saturday.

Archer made 30 appearances in the Championship last season, but most of those came as a substitute outside of his preferred striker role.

Eckert prefers to play with a more physical number nine, while he also believes summer signing Lewis Dobbin is a similar versatile profile to Archer.

Saints are left with just six senior attackers to cover all three positions on the front line, but Eckert is adamant that his exit was best for everyone.

"When I came in in November, Cam had minor injuries and was fighting his way back into the team, while Adam Armstrong was scoring," said Eckert.

Tonda Eckert could not guarantee Cam Archer enough minutes (Image: PA)

"Then, in January, we decided that something I've been looking for is to try to get a physical profile up at the top line, if we do play with one striker.

"Cam has used all of the opportunities very well when he started, and, at Swansea, for example, has also been very important for us to finish games.

"For me, Cam is at his best when he can play around a big striker. We have also brought in Lewis Dobbin in the summer, who I think is similar.

"Lewis can come off the sides, and he can play centrally, but I think he is also at his best when he can play close to a bigger striker up front.

"The appreciation is there for Cam, the way he applies himself every single day and what he can give on the pitch, but we had lots of conversations.

"You have to look ahead at how potential game minutes are going to play out, and he wanted more than we could promise at that moment.

"Will Still asked very early on, when he became manager of Auxerre, if there is a chance to get Cam to France, and it was an option Cam wanted to pursue.

"For us, it was difficult to do that early on in the window because you never really know how things then play out, but we decided towards the end.

"We came to the decision that it's best for Cam to get regular minutes and make the experience to play abroad, then we'll see next season."

The lack of striker options available to Eckert means youngster Princewill Ehibhatiomhan will regularly be involved with the first team this season.

The six-foot three-inch 19 year old made 25 appearances in League Two last season, netting one goal, but has been free-scoring in the academy.

"When I came into the under-21s last summer, I think we've had five or six pre-season games. He scored in every single one," said Eckert.

Princewill Ehibhatiomhan is now the club's third choice striker (Image: Craig Hobbs / Southampton FC)

"He's definitely a player that can score goals. It's been three or four games now this season, and he's scored five goals already.

"First and foremost, strikers are in the building to score goals, and he can definitely do that, and then I think he's just very reliable in what he does.

"You can ask Prince anything in the way that you need a game to play out against the ball, and he delivers exactly that. Yes, it's early on in his career.

"But he's a player that I've always trusted very much. The decision was there to keep him in the building and see that we can develop and progress."