Over the weekend, news emerged that lifelong West Ham fan Will Still had resigned as RC Lens manager after just one season in charge.
The 32-year-old stepped down to be closer to his partner, Sky Sports presenter and matchday reporter Emma Saunders, who has been recovering from thyroid cancer and, more recently, encephalitis—a serious brain infection.
Following a 4-0 win against Monaco, Still leaves the Ligue 1 club in eighth place on 52 points.
I covered Still’s rising managerial profile in a previous article for Claret & Hugh.
He was spotted at the London Stadium in November 2023 and was touted as a possible replacement for the outgoing manager David Moyes.
Still has previously been asked whether he’d like to take over at West Ham, to which he replied that he wouldn’t “think twice about it.” Speaking to The Sun, he said: “I’ve never had a career plan. I take what comes. I have always been a West Ham fan.”
West Ham will wrap up a dismal season this Sunday away at Ipswich Town. While Graham Potter has received the board’s full backing for the upcoming campaign, his record—averaging just one point per game—has left many supporters anxious about a possible relegation battle in 2025–26.
Meanwhile, Still has emerged as a candidate for the vacant managerial post at Southampton. Reports suggest that talks are underway, though Saints fans remain divided—some concerned about whether hiring Still is too great a risk.
Ironically, West Ham’s appointment of Graham Potter could also be described as a gamble. Still’s career win rate stands at 43.31%, slightly above Potter’s 42.56%—and notably better than Potter’s current return of just 22.22% since taking over in East London.
Will Still is represented by Unique Sports Group, whose CEO Will Salthouse maintains strong ties with West Ham.
If he accepts the Championship role, all eyes will be on the young coach to see if he can translate promise into long-term success.
Couldn’t make it any worse COULD IT
I bet it could be worse.
If Will Still can select a starting lineup he’s already ahead of Potter.
The poor management of starting lineup selection seems to me to be fuelled by the option to have up to five substitutions. If Potter had a mindset that he was only able to make one substitution as was the case when I was a kid he’d likely take more care over this part of his job.
Lopetegui was as bad and Moyes was hardly any better, it’s as though the starting 11 matters less because they can change their mistakes to half an outfield team at anytime. This is leading to poor tactical performance while the only efforts being noticeable is setting up to not be on the wrong end of a hiding rather than setting up to actually win on merit.
All that Potter has achieved is boring fans that pay through the nose. I dread to think what the players are feeling.
I’d take Will Still over Poteer any day of the week.
If we had a decent Chairman, he would pay the compensation and g a decent manager in, I.e Marco Silva, Thomas Frank etc – about time he muppet, Sullivan just slung his hook.
If Sullivan and Brady had ANY business sense this would be the perfect long term signing. But they HATE the club
If Steidten lost his job due to poor recruitment, shouldn’t Brady be out the door for hiring Potter?
Did Steidten lose his job over poor recruitment?
Or was it that he seemed at odds with the coaches/managers?
Potter was so the wrong gamble for me I wouldn’t have chosen him in a million years Sullivan should have kept his word and kept saying NO
I would have chosen Potter despite Chelsea friends telling me otherwise. However, defensive substitutions v Brighton (3 points) Southampton ( 1 point ) and if you watch the Manchester United match after the substitutions we got battered and Utd deserved a point but didn’t have a striker. Officially he only cost us 4 points in 2 matches.