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Will Still rose to prominence during his time at Stade Reims when he took the team on a 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

We all saw the memes back then. But beyond the internet hype — and now the proud holder of a UEFA Pro License — Will Still has proved he is a good coach. 

Currently 33, Will Still is now the manager of the newly relegated Southampton FC, which is one step closer to his dream of coaching in the Premier League.

However, a job at the top is far from the horizon, as he needs to prove himself in one of the most competitive leagues in the world, the Championship.

So let’s follow the career of Will Still to see how a young man who used to play Football Manager on his PC made his way to real-life football management.

Early Life of Will Still

Will Still was born in Belgium in 1992. Growing up in a town near Brussels, his passion for football took him from the amateur youth leagues to Belgium’s lower divisions.

But that was the height of his playing career. Despite not making it to the pros, Still never lost his passion for the game. He channeled his obsession into the football management simulation game Football Manager, which inspired him to pursue a career in coaching. 

At 17, he enrolled in Myerscough College in Preston, Lancashire, paving the way for his current success as a manager.

Playing Career

Although Will Still never made it to the big leagues, he played for several local clubs, including Sint-Truiden and the Mons youth teams. 

In a Daily Mail interview, Still reflected on his playing days, describing himself as a holding midfielder with a reputation for being tough and physical on the pitch. He acknowledged that he sometimes played on the edge, using underhanded tactics to gain an advantage over opponents. 

Despite this, he maintained that he was a different person off the pitch, making a funny remark that his mother was often embarrassed by his on-field behavior.

Will Still’s Career in Football Manager Pro

The Football Manager franchise has achieved cult status for its realism and depth—coaches have used it to improve their knowledge of tactics and formations. 

Even former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has credited the game with helping him with some concepts.

While some may scoff at the idea of a video game having real-world implications, Will Still has broken this taboo for gym class rejects by applying it in his team management.

When asked about his unique background in Football Manager, Still acknowledged that it had been an advantage for him in his transition to real-life management. 

And that’s why young people are drawn to him, because his exceptional management record shows that gaming can translate into real sports.

Switching to real-life management

Will Still began his career as an assistant manager for the U14 team at Preston North End, while continuing his studies at Myerscough College. He later became a video analyst for the Belgian team Sint-Truiden. 

Manager Yannick Ferrera recognized Still’s exceptional match analysis skills and brought him on board as a video analyst for Standard Liège. Together, they won the Belgian Cup.

In 2017, Will Still rose to the rank of assistant manager and video analyst at Lierse. He saw this as an opportunity to prove his capabilities as a full-time manager, and through his dedication and hard work, he eventually secured the position. 

Early struggles with the Royal Belgian FA

Despite his success at Lierse, his tenure ended curiously on December 2, 2017, after he led the team to a 2-0 victory over Westerlo. 

Further inquiries revealed that his dismissal resulted from not holding the mandatory “UEFA A-level coach” degree, which is required to remain in charge for more than 60 days in the Belgian Division. 

Despite this setback, Will Still continued to work with Lierse as an assistant coach to David Colpaert. After Lierse went bankrupt at the end of the 2017-2018 season, Still became an assistant to Stijn Vreven at Beerschot. 

He continued in this role under Hernán Losada, who helped the team secure promotion to the Belgian First Division A. When Losada left in January 2021, Will Still became the head coach.

However, despite leading the team to a 9th-place finish in the 2020-2021 season, Beerschot’s owners decided to hire Peter Maes as a more experienced coach for the next season.

Will Still at Stade Reims

In 2021, after working as an assistant to Óscar García at Reims for four months, Will Still decided to leave and return to Standard Liège. 

One of the main reasons was that his UEFA Pro license was registered in Belgium, and attending courses while working in France proved too time-consuming.

In 2022, he got his most significant opportunity to prove his mettle when he was appointed the manager of Stade de Reims, a Ligue 1 club in France. 

With this appointment, the young red-headed coach has since become an internet sensation, with fans worldwide discussing his unusual journey to becoming a real-life football manager.

The saga birthed the infamous copypasta: 

In his first season as full-time manager, Still led Stade de Reims on the heavily-memed 19-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, a remarkable feat for a club that had been struggling before his arrival. 

While they suffered a setback in the Coupe de France round of 16, losing 3-1 to Toulouse, Still and his team have bounced back with an unbeaten run of 12 matches.

During the second season, the honeymoon phase was over as clubs started to figure out his tactical setup. 

Even though the club finished 11th, their drop in form during the last stretch of the season forced the management to end the contract by mutual consent.

The Lens Cameo

The next stop for Will Still was RC Lens. This move went largely unnoticed because he spent only one year there and never truly exceeded expectations.

One of his first moves was to get rid of the notorious Elye Wahi, who later joined the Suicide Squad at Olympique Marseille.

Other notable departures during this window include Abdukodir Khusanov and Kevin Danso, who went on to win the Europa League trophy with Tottenham Hotspur.

Will Still finished the season with a 42% win record in the league. He lost to PSG on penalties in the Coupe de France and was knocked out in the playoff round of the UEFA Conference League by Panathinaikos.

After smashing AS Monaco 4-0 on the last day of the season, Will Still decided to leave RC Lens, citing personal reasons.

Will Still joins Southampton

In 2025, Will Still joined Southampton to be closer to his ailing wife. This move was also met with seeming positivity by Southampton fans.

Will Still is another name in Southampton FC’s long tradition of hiring young managers with massive potential, just like Pochettino and Russell Martin, most recently.

But a few detractors worry that a leap to the Championship from Ligue 1 might be too much for Will Still.

I’d argue that if the club completely backs him with sensible transfers, he stands a decent chance of bringing the club back to the Prem within the next few years.

Will Still’s managerial style

Still’s management philosophy features a fast-paced, high-pressing game emphasizing attacking football. Stade de Reims underwent a remarkable transformation during his time.

Even more impressive was their ability to hold their own against the star-studded Paris Saint-Germain, which featured Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar, with Reims beating them once and drawing twice.

Throughout his time at the helm at Reims and later at Lens, Will Still has displayed the ability to develop young talent. The testament to this fact is the meteoric rise of Folarin Balogun, who enjoyed his best season in front of goal.

Will Still’s coaching philosophy has proven effective in the French league, leading many to call for him to coach in other leagues, specifically the English Premier League. 

He prefers the 4-2-3-1 formation, which has proven successful so far in his career. 

Will Still continues to make waves in the football world, and his story has captivated the collective fancy of young football fans. His success has become international news fodder, as various football news outlets have covered his journey. 

Still shares a similar path with Julian Nagelsmann, who went on a generational run as a young manager.  

Despite not being on the same level as the German, Will Still will be first in line for a lot of top jobs in the Premier League if he gets things right at Southampton.

What does the future hold for Will Still?

The Stade de Reims manager has expressed interest in a future managerial role in the Premier League. 

However, this will have to wait for now. I don’t think Will Still is ready for a top-level job. And if his standards don’t fall below par, we might see him coaching one of the Los Blancos or Les Bleus. 

For now, I’ll continue riding this Will Still bandwagon as far as it goes. As he continues to make waves in the football world, there is no doubt that he will continue to captivate the imagination of young men who felt that real-life management was a long shot.

Regardless of where his career takes him, Will Still’s journey will continue to inspire and motivate others worldwide.