‘Lens are the most English club in France’ – Will Still explains why he chose to join Les Sang et Or | OneFootball

Yesterday afternoon Will Still took his first press conference as the new RC Lens manager. The Anglo-Belgian head coach had been strongly linked with a move back to England during his time in charge of Stade de Reims last season, particularly after he had told The Athletic that he “wanted to come home.”

It was somewhat of a surprise then that the manager instead chose to succeed Franck Haise and take over the reins at Les Sang et Or. It was not as if England had not come calling for Still, according to Sky Sports, he had discussed with both Sunderland and Norwich the option of becoming their next manager.

However, ultimately his discussions with both clubs did not amount to his signing on the dotted line. Still used the opportunity of his first press conference to shed some light on his decision-making process, “As much as the French press and the whole world sent me to England, I always wanted to be patient.”

He continued, “In Reims, I had already told the goalkeeping coach that if there was a French club I wanted to go to, it was Lens. The opportunity presented itself and it was obvious. I have never hidden my ambitions and my love for Bollaert and Les Corons.”

The new Lens manager finished the thought by stating, “I didn’t have to think very long. I just had to make sure we were going to be competitive and able to p*ss off as many teams as possible. I am happy to be in France and especially in Lens […] It is the most English of the French clubs, to which there is a certain logic in my choice.”

GFFN | Nick Hartland