Saints supporters heading for St Mary's on Sunday wondered whether Will Still would be at the game and secondly whether he would be appointed before or after the game, they found the answer shortly before kick off.

The announcement that Saints have a new first team manager and the phrase used was Manager and not Head Coach, came in the run up to the kick off against Arsenal, although there were few Saints supporters who didn't think that this would happen by that time.

Southampton Football Club announced their new first team manager with the following statement:

Southampton Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Will Still as its new Men’s First Team Manager.

Still has agreed a three-year contract at St Mary’s, having most recently been in charge of French Ligue 1 club RC Lens.

The 32-year-old has carved out a reputation as one of the brightest young coaching talents in Europe, with his standing having been shaped across his impressive time working in Belgium and France.

He most recently guided Lens to an eighth-place finish in France’s top flight this season, a spell that followed a successful two years in the same league with Reims, where he became the youngest manager in Europe’s top five leagues and also shot to prominence after guiding the team to a record-breaking 19 games unbeaten in the 2022/23 campaign.

Prior to his time in France, Still worked as a coach in Belgium – the country of his birth to English parents – with Lierse and Beerschot.

Group Technical Director Johannes Spors said: “Will is a young, innovative manager who has already gained significant experience throughout his career, and we have been extremely impressed both by his track record and our conversations with him.

“What was very apparent in our discussions was the clarity of his philosophy and the identity he wants his teams to have, but also his willingness and ability to adapt to different situations as they present themselves, which will be an important quality in the Championship next season.

“We were very impressed by his personality and his values, and we feel he will be an excellent fit for the culture we are looking to build at Staplewood.”

Will Still said: “I’m extremely proud and excited to have joined Southampton – there is huge potential here and we have a great opportunity to do something special.

“The project that has been laid out to me is very impressive and, all together, I believe we can build a clear identity and a very positive future for the team.

“I can’t wait to meet you, the fans. I look forward to hearing you in voice, and feeling the energy and belief at St Mary’s and beyond.

“I’m eager to get to work this summer and start building a close-knit group that can make everyone proud and ultimately get us back to where we belong; in the Premier League.”

Whilst I would expect social media lighting up with suitably raging supporters slagging off Sport Republic for appointing such an unknown and inexperienced manager, this was not the mood amongst most Saints fans in the pub I went in before and after the game.

Whilst not exactly buzzing with excitement about the arrival of Still, most seemed to be of the mind that he is here now, we have to get behind him.

Those who seem to think that appointing young inexperienced coaches with little track record is a Sport Republic thing, history reveals that most managers appointed at the club have not been in the experienced with a proven track record category.

Back in 1955 Ted Bates had been reserve team coach at the Dell for under two years when he was given the job as first team manager, Chris Nicholl had just two years as assistant manager at Grimsby under his belt when he succeeded him and going forward with the likes of Branfoot, Alan Ball & Dave Merrington, the appointments were all not about appointing managers that had the track records that excited the fans.

Indeed when we did appoint experience such as Graeme Souness, Harry Redknapp & Mark Hughes is was not a case of raging success.

So Will Still is the latest in a line of managers who arrive at the club who are in the up and coming bracket rather than been there and done it, more often than not it has worked out.

So welcome Will Still to Southampton, I truly hope that you get the backing both from those in charge of the club and those supporting it to get a fair crack of the whip at the task ahead in the Championship next season.

All Photos Via Reuters

Block8 added 10:12 - May 26 Totally agree Nick, if he is supported by both the club and the fans he can succeed! We can't afford to be signing mega stars either on the pitch or in the dugout but this is not a regressive appointment. I will be renewing and looking forward to some decent football next season and beyond! COYR
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Colburn added 10:13 - May 26 Highly rated and respected in France, he has a plan and he’s adaptable. Talks about setting up based on the opposition which shows he has tactical nous and an understanding of what is required to win each game. I’m not worried about his age or lack of experience in England, look at Hurzeler at Brighton, never managed in England or the top flight in Germany. I think we have made an excellent appointment but the real game changer, one way or another, will be the recruitment. This is the key to Still’s success or failure, which players stay, which ones go and who we bring in. It is clear to me that good footballers who don’t have high energy or physicality will be no good for the top flight so we have to sign the right level of player and convince them it’s only 9 months and we’ll be back in the big time. The ambition and stubbornness of our board will determine this, we need to keep Fernandes and build the team around him, he’s under contract, as were Adams and KWP and without them, we wouldn’t have been promoted last year.

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underweststand added 10:25 - May 26 it's done now, and we have to wait and see how things come together next season. All those debates about inexperience in the English game, and Will's young age in the managerial world have been done over and over again. The one big plus for him will be that as soon as the dust has settled on the mass exodus of transfers out, and the final departure of those who are out of contract, Still will be the first Saints manager in a decade (10 years back to the Koeman era) to buy in a new squad of his own choosing, and we will have a lot of new faces to get accustomed to during the summer break. Maybe the game needs some fresh blood and a departure from " old ideas" and a start over in the Championship will certainly be a jot easier than the challenge of the Prem. We are not alone in that respect and it will be interesting to see how Leicester and Ipswich fare as they were "more than a bit better than us " in the season 2023-24. So good luck Will, as we look forward to the next generation of SAINTS.

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Bowlercow added 11:43 - May 26 I can't wait for the season and the Still era to begin. This is Spors first appointment at SMS and I think he deserves some credit for getting it done so early This guy would not have been short of suitors I was disappointed that he was not brought out onto the pitch at half time and introduced to the fans though he may not have wanted that I wanted this guy when Ralph got sacked so at the moment I'm like a cat with two tails

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DoctorSleep added 12:36 - May 26 There was always one question I had that has now been answered - why could Bournemouth, Brighton ( twice ) and Palace find these excellent managers and we couldn't? So all I would have liked ( cant say wanted as I have no influence on matters ) is for the research to be done and for Spors to find a gem. I have my wish!! SR now need to back him, we need to back him so that he is here for years to come and he gets us our place back in the Premier League and we stay there.

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Cjay80 added 13:20 - May 26 Aside from Mourinho or Guardiola this guy was my 1st choice. Thrilled we have got him so early, he can plan a full pre season and implement his style on the players with plenty of time to get those not on board out and bring fresh faces in. I anticipate high energy, high press, great attacking football and maybe tactics that will suit our plethora of wingers who have all been frozen out. Just need to sort out that defence!

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Saintjonah68 added 15:52 - May 26 First time I have felt positive about a new manager since Pochettino, Young,Hungry,Tactically aware,Adaptable and by the looks of things can coach a defense so that will be new for Saints.
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SanMarco added 10:30 - May 27 Glad to see we are positive on this. I am pleased, sounds like he knows what he wants to do. Let's hope, unlike RM, he can put his ideas into lasting successful practise. Being a lover of words (and pretty childish) I am looking forward to squeezing in sentences like: "Will Will Still still be manager..."
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