Will Still could be set to take over a Premier League team just hours after confirming his exit from Ligue 1 side RC Lens.
Still, 32, rose to fame a couple of seasons back after citing the popular video game ‘Football Manager’ as part of his coaching education and for some time did not have the appropriate UEFA Pro Licence, meaning Reims had to fork out £22,000 in fines for every game he took charge of.
The Belgian, born to English parents, quickly progressed through the ranks as an assistant coach at French outfit Reims.
When manager Oscar Garcia was sacked in 2022, he still stepped in on an interim basis before leaving at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
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The 32-year-old signed as Lens manager in June 2024 and led the side to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 this term.
On Saturday (May 17), he announced his departure from the club after a 4-0 win against Monaco at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis Stadium in northern France.
Still explained: “I won't be the coach of RC Lens next season.
"It was the last season at Bollaert, for multiple reasons.
"The main reason that pushed me to make this decision is the fact that I need to go home.
"Everyone is well aware of what happened in my life. That's why.
"I had a lot of fun, I think we achieved great things despite everything. I've been in France for four years, four years that I've experienced intense moments.
"The logical choice is that I get closer to my wife for her well-being, too."
Still’s wife is Sky Sports broadcaster Emma Saunders, who has been battling illness over the last year or so.
So, what’s next for Still?
Well, as reported by talkSPORT, he is among a list of candidates to take the vacant Southampton head coach role.
After the Saints’ relegation from the Premier League to the Championship was confirmed on April 6, then-head coach Ivan Juric made a swift exit, having taken over from Russell Martin in December 2024.
Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is a contender – although reported compensation payments are thought to be a sticking point in negotiations.
In an interview with The Athletic in 2024, Still admitted that he "would work for a Championship team without a problem".
“If there’s a Championship club that’s ambitious, that wants to work in the right way and be open and honest about things, and really try and push to get somewhere, then I would love to do that," said Still.
“Obviously, the Premier League is the ultimate dream for any manager in the world. I’m not in a rush, either. It’s not that, if I come to England, I have to go to the Premier League, or I have to go to this or that club. If something fits then it fits, and I’d be just as happy doing that.
“I’ve never really had a career plan. I’ve never set a timing on anything. I’ve just waited for opportunities to come up; see how it feels, see what it’s like."
Topics: Premier League, Football Manager, Ligue 1, Football, EFL Championship, Southampton
Luke Davies