"The issue will be" - Pundit raises one Will Still concern in Sunderland manager pursuit | OneFootball

French side Reims are planning for life without Will Still as manager.

According to Le 10 Sport, the Ligue 1 team is looking for potential replacements for their current coach.

This comes amid speculation linking the 31-year-old with a move to Championship side Sunderland.

The Black Cats are searching for a replacement to Michael Beale, who was dismissed in February after just 63 days at the helm.

The Wearside outfit is planning to have a successor in place at the end of the campaign, with Danny Rohl and Paul Heckingbottom also linked.

Carlton Palmer praises Will Still appointment

Carlton Palmer has praised the work the young coach has done during his time with Reims.

He believes Still is an excellent coach, and would make a good appointment for Sunderland.

“It’s rumoured that Reims are lining up a replacement for manager Will Still,” Palmer exclusively told Football League World.

“It’s been well documented for months that Sunderland have been interested in bringing in Will to the football club.

“He’s an outstanding young manager.

“Obviously he’s under contract at Reims, and Reims are doing really well, and [Sunderland] weren’t able to get him out.

“Sunderland didn’t replace Mick Beale when they sacked him, and they’re hoping to get to the end of the season to bring Will in.

Palmer raises potential Still issue at Sunderland

However, Palmer has raised the potential issues that could prove stumbling blocks to appointing Still as Sunderland’s next head coach.

“The issue will be, the reports that are coming out that Mick Beale was only able to bring one of his backroom staff into the football club, and also the fact that they do not want to sign senior players, which was an issue with Tony Mowbray,” he added.

“He wanted to balance the youth with senior players, the hierarchy at Sunderland want to work on the basis of bringing young players in.

“Their model is signing young players from lower leagues for low money, bring them in and establish them and then move them on for big money.

“That’s difficult for a manager, when a manager is ambitious and wants the club to be successful.

“Tony Mowbray believed that, if they allowed him to do that, he would’ve gotten the club promoted.

“They just fell short against Luton Town in the play-off last season.

“So it will be interesting to see.

“I’m sure if Still goes to Sunderland, he’ll want to bring his own backroom staff and he’ll want to be able to manage the way he wants to manage and dictate.

“As much as Sunderland would like to bring him in, if they do they will have to change their philosophy on how they'll want to go forward.”

Still would be an exciting appointment for Sunderland

Still’s work in France has been quite impressive, bringing the club into contention for European qualification in Ligue 1.

If he is willing to take the step down to the Championship, then he is an obvious priority candidate to have.

Sunderland need to get this next appointment right after the Beale debacle, and Still could be the ideal candidate.

He fits the club’s model of focusing on youth as well, as he is one of the sport’s most exciting, up-and-coming young managers.