Highly Regarded Coach Makes Stark West Ham Admission After ‘Identity’ Claim

Former Southampton boss and West Ham fan Will Still has opened up on his thoughts about the club and its lack of identity in an interview with The Overlap.

Still gained fame as the youngest manager in Europe’s top five leagues while at Stade de Reims, where the club famously paid a €25k fine per match because he had not yet finished his UEFA Pro Licence.

Will Still Was Once Linked With West Ham Job

Following excellent work with Reims, Still was frequently linked with the West Ham United job while Julen Lopetegui was in charge. The 33-year-old was pictured at the London Stadium in 2023, prompting a flurry of speculation that he was being lined up for the Hammers hot seat.

That suggestion was quickly dismissed when a West Ham source exclusively told Claret & Hugh: “He’s [Still] a talented young coach but needs to prove himself.” Born in Belgium to English parents, Still has never made any secret of his support for West Ham and his desire to manage the club one day.

Still Admits West Ham Feelings Have Changed

However, after revealing the club had “lost its soul”, the former Saints boss has explained that he doesn’t really consider himself to be a fan anymore.

“Am I a massive West Ham fan? I’ll always, you know, have that special place for West Ham inside me, but you’re so busy with your job and other teams, and it’s like, yeah, you can’t really be a fan anymore.”