Southampton FC Sacks Will Still After Five Months Amid Poor Championship Performance

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Southampton have decided to part ways with head coach Will Still after a tenure of just over five months. Still was appointed shortly before the club's last Premier League match in the 2024-25 season, preceding their relegation to the Championship. The team has struggled since, currently ranking 21st in the table, only three points clear of the relegation zone.

Southampton's recent form has been concerning, with a third consecutive defeat occurring on Saturday against Preston North End. This followed losses to Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers. The Saints have managed just one victory in their last 11 matches across all competitions, which came against Sheffield United at the end of September.

Will Still's time at Southampton saw him oversee 13 Championship matches, securing only two wins, alongside six draws and five losses. This resulted in a win rate of just 15.4%. During his management, the team scored 13 goals but conceded 19, averaging only 0.9 points per game.

The club announced this decision through a tweet:

Tonda Eckert, who is currently coaching the Under-21s, will step in as interim head coach. The club hopes this change will help improve their league standing and performance for the remainder of the season.

Johannes Spors, Southampton's technical director, expressed gratitude towards Still and his team: "Will is a great person who gave everything to try and improve performances and results," he stated. "Ultimately, that process has taken longer than any of us would have liked."

Spors further explained that making this change now is seen as essential for giving Southampton the best chance to climb back up the league table. He also thanked Ruben Martinez, Clement Lemaitre, and Carl Martin for their efforts and wished them well for the future.

The decision to replace Still reflects Southampton's urgent need to reverse their fortunes in the Championship and avoid further struggles near the bottom of the table.