Will Still is about to take on a new manager job a few months after leaving Southampton.
Will Still is getting close to making a comeback in football management, just seven months after leaving Championship club Southampton.
Still joined Southampton last summer after successful stints in France’s Ligue 1 with Reims and Lens. At 33, he was hired to help the club bounce back quickly to the Premier League after their relegation.
Unfortunately, he only won two of his 13 games, and the club parted ways with him after a 2-0 home loss to Preston North End. At that time, Southampton was 21st in the Championship. His replacement, Tonda Eckert, helped the team finish fourth, although they later faced trouble with the play-offs due to a spygate scandal.
Still shared that adjusting to English football was tough for him. Differences in culture, player behavior, and training methods all played a part. Speaking to The Overlap, he said the language barrier was also a challenge. Even though he speaks fluent English, the style and setting were new to him, especially dealing with the press and young players. He said it felt like he was a stranger in the environment and that he simply ran out of time to adapt.
Since leaving Southampton, Still has been linked with several jobs, mostly in France. He was a surprise pick for the West Brom manager job earlier this year, but the club chose James Morrison instead after keeping them in the Championship. Meanwhile, his brother Ed was made Watford manager in February but was let go after a poor run of games.
Now, Will Still looks set to return to management with Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre. French media outlet Onze Mondial says talks between Still and the club are very advanced, though Auxerre still need to finalize the departure of current manager Christophe Pelissier.
Auxerre just avoided relegation last season, finishing 15th and narrowly staying clear of the play-off spot. Their squad includes players with experience in English football, like former Crystal Palace midfielder Naouirou Ahamada, ex-Reading forward Danny Namaso, and former Watford defender Francisco Sierralta.
With a 40.5% win rate in Ligue 1, Still brings valuable experience. Auxerre will hope he can not only keep them safe in the top division, but maybe help them climb even higher in the coming season.