Why Southampton’s Sporting Director Johannes Spors Overruled Himself in Order to Appoint Will Still | OneFootball

Southampton have confirmed that 32-year-old manager Will Still will take charge from the beginning of next season. Appointed on a three-year deal, Still’s job will be difficult in an attempt to take the Saints back to the Premier League and then keep them there, which no team has done for two years! Southampton themselves failed to do so just this year, finishing rock bottom on a miserable twelve points.

In a bold and unexpected move, Southampton’s new sporting director, Johannes Spors, went against his hiring policy to appoint Will Still as the club’s new manager. But what could drive such a decision? In this article, the rationale behind this exciting appointment will be unpacked, and why it might just be a masterstroke.

Johannes Spors’ Terms for Hire

When Johannes Spors arrived at Southampton, he set out two conditions for the new manager he would appoint. They would need to play high-tempo football, similar to the ‘Jurgen Klopp way’, and have experience managing the Championship. Spors’ number one target originally was Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Röhl, who conforms to these traits. But Röhl has seemed unsure about the prospect of moving south and taking over in the same league, stating his ambitions were to manage in the Premier League or back in his native Bundesliga.

Spors took this as a sign to move on, looking elsewhere in his hunt for the right manager. Tom Cleverley was interviewed, but when the news came out that Will Still was to leave Lens, Southampton’s sporting director pounced quickly and got the Belgian, whose wife studied at Southampton University herself. However, Spors’ April-set conditions clearly do not suit Will Still.

So why Will Still?

Is Will Still What Saints Needed?

Will Still is not just a Football Manager geek, nor an industry plant from Sports Interactive to prove that their game gives you the ability to become a real-life coach. Still has in fact been in the managerial game for eight years before getting his big opportunity at Stade de Reims, at just 29. His caretaker stint was so successful, going all five games unbeaten, that he was given the permanent job. After getting the full-time gig, he led the club to a record 19-game unbeaten run.

Still’s adaptability is perhaps his best asset. He has been known to switch systems multiple times in a single game, just to nullify the opposition’s threat! For instance, he completely changed his team’s formation to counteract the threat of the star-studded Paris Saint-Germain in 2022. He demonstrated a true tactician’s ability. Still is not solely that ‘high tempo’ manager Johannes Spors specifically targeted. Neither does he have any Championship experience. But does any of this matter?

Did not managing in the Championship before their arrival matter for Enzo Maresca, Kieran McKenna or Vincent Kompany? That’s just naming a few in recent years. If Will Still could have arrived with the Championship on his CV, then sure, it would have been great. But it would have been a luxury rather than a necessity. Taking Stade de Reims from the bottom half to challenging for Europe is all you need to know when assessing Still’s prowess. That is why Johannes Spors sacrificed this part of his terms, as the appointment of Still ultimately defied his expectations of the calibre of manager Saints could attract in the Championship.

Philosophy or Pragmatism?

Southampton has now appointed a manager who differs significantly in style from their recent manager, Russell Martin. The first half of Southampton’s season was marked by a fatal flaw in Martin’s style, which initiated the miserable slide back into the Championship. His refusal to abandon the playing-out system they had attempted resulted in 19 errors that led to goals. These events would not be allowed to happen under Will Still, who has said he isn’t concerned about style and just wants to “win games” (via the High Performance podcast).

He could still easily utilise a high-tempo system, as demonstrated at times with Stade de Reims and Lens, but he will prioritise control in possession while competing in the Championship. His Lens 2024/25 side averaged 54.1% possession in Ligue 1, showing that their edge in control of games is important to their success. Lens had the fourth least possession in their own defensive third but the fourth most in Ligue 1 in the final third, juxtaposing Martin’s style. This would see the increase in directness that Spors wanted. So while Still isn’t quite the Röhl that would bring back the ways of Southampton cult hero Ralph Hasenhüttl, he has the ability to bring this out of the Saints squad.

Will Still’s appointment shows an element of risk over protocol.

High Risk, High Reward?

Yes, Will Still’s appointment is relatively a gamble. But so would be any other appointment; it’s the nature of the game today. No club can simply appoint Neil Warnock and gain promotion anymore!

Johannes Spors has clearly seen enough promise in Will Still to abandon his key conditions, which should instill confidence in Saint’s fans. This isn’t a continuation of the Sport Republic managerial merry-go-round; this is Spors’ Southampton setup, which consists of a vast new scouting team that will assist the search for signings in Still’s team. As the new manager said himself,

Attracting a manager joining from somewhere that finished just a few points off of European competitions this season is rare for a second division club; it should be a time for excitement. This is a new era for Southampton, and with Leicester set to receive a points deduction for next season, they will rival Ipswich for immediate retribution and return to the Premier League.

Time will tell if Will Still can take Southampton back to the promised land and then do what many can’t: keep them there.