Southampton Football Club has made headlines once again, parting ways with manager Will Still after a tumultuous five-month spell in charge. The 33-year-old, who became the youngest manager in the English Football League upon his appointment in May 2025, departs with the Saints languishing in 21st place in the Championship—just three points above the dreaded relegation zone. The decision, announced on November 2, 2025, comes in the wake of a dismal run that saw the club win just two of their 13 league matches this season and endure a five-game winless streak capped by a 2-0 home defeat to Preston North End.
Still’s tenure was always going to be a challenging one. Appointed on a three-year deal after Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, he arrived from French side RC Lens, where he had guided the team to a respectable eighth-place finish in Ligue 1. The hope was that his youthful energy and continental experience would spark a swift return to the top flight. Instead, the Saints find themselves mired in a battle for survival, with the gap between them and the league leaders now a daunting 16 points.
The writing seemed to be on the wall after Saturday’s defeat at St Mary’s, which marked Southampton’s third consecutive league loss—following setbacks at Blackburn and Bristol City. The frustration boiled over among supporters, who voiced their displeasure with boos as the final whistle blew. The mood soured further when defender Nathan Wood was seen verbally abusing fans as he left the pitch, prompting a swift apology. “I’m regretful that I let my emotions get the better of me, and I take full accountability for them,” Wood stated. “I will learn from this and will do my best to improve our performances on the pitch.”
It’s not just Still who’s heading for the exit. The club also confirmed the departures of his assistants Rubén Martinez, Clément Lemaitre, and Carl Martin. In the interim, men’s under-21 head coach Tonda Eckert has been handed the reins as Southampton look to steady the ship. The move is emblematic of a club searching for answers after a rapid fall from grace. Southampton’s technical director, Johannes Spors, summed up the situation in a statement that reflected both gratitude and urgency: “Will is a great person who gave everything to try and improve performances and results. Ultimately that process has taken longer than any of us would have liked. By making a change now we believe it gives us the best chance of turning things around this season and climbing back up the league table. I would like to thank Will, Rubén, Clément and Carl for their efforts and wish them well for the future.”
Still’s record at Southampton makes for grim reading. In the Championship, he managed just two wins—against Wrexham on the opening day and Sheffield United at the end of September—alongside six draws and five defeats. Across all competitions, his tally stood at four wins in 16 matches, with progress in the EFL Cup brought to an end by a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool after earlier victories over Northampton Town and Norwich City. The club’s struggles have been compounded by a lack of cohesion on the pitch, with the team failing to build any meaningful momentum since dropping out of the Premier League last season.
The pressure on Still was palpable in recent weeks, and he did not shy away from the enormity of the task. Speaking to BBC Radio Solent after the Preston defeat, he admitted, “If I’d got an instant fix I would have found it about a month or two months ago. I don’t think there is an instant fix to be really honest with you, and I think whoever it is, there’s a big job and I knew there was a big job coming in here. I said a few weeks ago there were a lot of things that need to change that haven’t changed yet because we haven’t had the time to do that, but there’s still evidently a lot of work to do.”
Southampton’s recent managerial history has been turbulent, to say the least. Last season alone saw the departures of both Russell Martin and Ivan Juric, the latter leaving after the club’s relegation was confirmed with seven games left to play. The appointment of Still was meant to herald a new era, but the harsh realities of the Championship have proven unforgiving. The club’s ambitions of an immediate Premier League return have, for now, been replaced by the more pressing need to avoid back-to-back relegations—a fate that would have seemed unthinkable not so long ago.
The decision to turn to Tonda Eckert as interim manager is a nod to stability and internal continuity, at least in the short term. Eckert, who has overseen the men’s under-21 side, is tasked with steadying a ship that’s been taking on water for far too long. Whether he will be given the job on a permanent basis remains to be seen, but for now, his focus will be on galvanizing a squad that has lost confidence and direction.
For Will Still, the end comes as a harsh lesson in the volatility of English football. His rapid rise through the coaching ranks in France, particularly his tenure at Reims and Lens, had made him one of the most talked-about young managers in Europe. Yet, the Championship is a unique beast—relentless, unpredictable, and unforgiving. Still’s lack of immediate results, coupled with the weight of expectation from both the board and the fans, ultimately proved too much to overcome.
As Southampton look to regroup, the spotlight now falls on the players and the interim coaching staff. Can the Saints arrest their slide and claw their way out of trouble? Or will the malaise that has gripped the club since relegation continue to fester? The coming weeks will be crucial, with every point vital and every decision scrutinized by a fanbase desperate for hope.
For now, the chapter on Will Still at Southampton closes with more questions than answers. The search for stability—and salvation—continues on the south coast, with the Saints faithful left to wonder what comes next in their club’s storied, and lately stormy, history.
