Newly appointed Southampton boss Will Still had strong words for the Sheffield United board over the sacking of Reuben Selles and re-appointing of Chris Wilder.
Southampton take on the Blades at Bramall Lane tonight at 7:45pm
A Dismal Start
Sheffield United’s Championship campaign has been a catastrophe, with six straight defeats leaving them rock bottom. Rubén Sellés, appointed in June on a three-year deal after replacing Chris Wilder, faltered with a leaky defence and blunt attack, failing to score in key games. A 5-0 thrashing at Ipswich Town, plus losses to Bristol City 4-1 and Preston, exposed flawed AI-driven recruitment. Fan fury led to Sellés’s sacking a fortnight ago after a record-breaking five-game losing streak. Chris Wilder, a lifelong Blade, returned for his third stint on a two-year deal, igniting cautious hope. With 16 games before October’s end, Wilder seeks to rekindle his 2017 and 2019 promotion magic.
An Unusual Path
Will Still’s rise from Football Manager enthusiast to Championship manager is remarkable. Born in 1992 in Belgium to English parents, the West Ham fan began coaching at 17, inspired by tactical intricacies. After Myerscough College and Preston’s youth setup, he became a video analyst at Sint Truiden and Standard Liège. At 24, he led Lierse in Belgium’s second tier amid bankruptcy. In 2022, at 30, Still went viral as Reims’ boss, the youngest in Europe’s top leagues, fined €25,000 per game for lacking a UEFA Pro Licence. His bilingual team talk clip and 18 game unbeaten run sealed 11th in Ligue 1. Post Lens, Still joined Southampton in 2025, his data driven style eyeing Premier League revival. (Word count: 110)
Still’s Comments
In an interview with the Daily Echo, Still didn’t hold back on his views on the Blades management situation.
“Honestly, I think it’s completely ridiculous,”
“Unfortunately, that’s just the way football works these days.”
“It’s like our situation as I know people are questioning it.”
“I don’t think it makes me a bad manager, I don’t think it makes me a bad person.”
“And I’m not a stats man, but if you look at all the stats then they show we’re doing something right, we’re just not quite making it click, but it takes time.”
“There are examples of clubs where they’ve been patient, they’ve given people a bit of time with that trust and faith and I think it’s worked out.”
“It’s just the world we live in, isn’t it? It’s modern football.”
Writers View
Aiming to rebuild Southampton, Will Still might have targeted Rubén Sellés’ Sheffield United squad for its potential. However, with Chris Wilder’s return and a victory at Oxford last weekend, United’s resurgence makes prising players away a tougher challenge.
