-
The young English coach Will Still, aged 32, has made an impression while managing overseas.
-
He is scheduled to make his debut in English football following his departure from Lens earlier this week.
-
Tune in Now: It’s All Kicking Off! Available where you grab your podcasts. Fresh episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.
Southampton
are said to have reached an agreement to bring Will Still on board as their new manager.
Despite being just 32 years old, he has received glowing reviews for the work he has accomplished throughout his relatively brief managerial journey with clubs such as Lierse and Beerschot in Belgium, followed by stints at Reims and Lens in France.
However, the 32-year-old
stated earlier this week that he would be stepping down from his position
to enable the lens to return to its original position
England
and be nearer to his companion Emma Saunders.
Saunders – a presenter and matchday reporter for Sky Sports – was treated for thyroid
cancer
At the beginning of the current season, they were diagnosed with a brain infection known as encephalitis but have since been recuperating.
He still boasts an impressive win rate with 55 victories from his 127 managerial matches. This track record has earned him recognition as one of the top young English managers in the field today.
Over the past several years, he has been associated with coming back to England.
had nearly joined
Sunderland
last summer.
And, according to
The Telegraph
Still is poised to secure his initial employment in England following the agreement on a three-year contract with the Saints.
The document further states that the lowest-ranked team in the Premier League has already finalized compensation discussions with Lens following meetings earlier this week.
Southampton, who were reportedly interested in Sheffield Wednesday’s manager Danny Rose, have been looking for a new leader since parting ways with Ivan Juric last month. In the meantime, Simon Rusk has taken over temporarily for the remainder of the season.
Mail Sport previously reported on the Saints’ interest in Still, who guided Lens to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 this campaign. It seems he will now take up the challenge of steering them towards promotion from the Championship in the 2025-26 season.
In the meantime, when discussing why he left Lens following their concluding match of the season—a 4-0 victory at home against Monaco—Still disclosed that his departure was because of personal matters, mentioning he felt the need ‘to head back home.’
It makes sense for me to be nearer to my wife,” Still stated. “For her welfare.
I will not continue as the coach of RC Lens next season. This was also the final season at Bollaert Stadium due to various factors. Primarily, I decided to step down because it’s time for me to return home. As everyone knows about the circumstances surrounding my situation, that explains everything.
‘I enjoyed myself immensely, I believe we accomplished remarkable feats regardless of all challenges. It’s been four years in France, four years filled with profound experiences.’
Saunders was present at the last game and shared an image with her boyfriend on the field post-match, captioning it as: ‘Well done @wrstill.’
It still gained widespread attention several years back when he turned into the youngest coach in Europe’s top five soccer leagues upon taking charge of Reims in France at just 30 years old.
Part of what drove him towards coaching was his love for the video game ‘Football Manager’. This enthusiasm led him to transition from a playing career to management at just 17 years old.
In contrast, her teammate Saunders has taken up a significant role in promoting women’s football on BBC Sport, along with her duties at Sky.
Recognized as a pioneer for women in sports broadcasting and football, she has also served as a stadium presenter for significant sporting events such as England internationals, the FIFA World Cup, Six Nations rugby matches, and the inaugural Major League Baseball game held in the United Kingdom.
Nevertheless, Saunders shared an image on her Instagram account taken from her hospital bed in March. In this heartfelt post, she detailed her circumstances for her 71,500 followers and expressed gratitude towards her English manager boyfriend. The couple started dating last year and made their relationship known to the public during Euro 2024.
Clutching a plush giraffe toy, she spoke openly about her current health situation, prompting an outpouring of supportive messages from both fans and peers in the comment section.
The caption stated: “Hello everyone. Sadly, life took an unforeseen twist a few weeks back, and currently, I am away from my job as I recuperate from Encephalitis—an inflammation of the brain.”
I look forward to returning soon to witness the conclusion of the 2024/25 period—particularly since I missed some of the beginning of the current season due to treatment for thyroid cancer.
As I take this time to recover and rebuild once more, I want to express my gratitude to my family and friends for their unwavering support. A big thanks also goes out to my coworkers at Sky for giving me the space to heal with patience, and to our amazing National Health Service for their exceptional kindness and care. Of course, heartfelt appreciation extends to you, Will, simply for being who you are and standing beside me through all of this.