CSA96

Jack Rosser's full report in The Sun: SOUTHAMPTON hope to appoint Will Still as their new manager this week. Saints have held extensive talks with the 32-year-old, who is leaving French club Lens and wants to be closer to family in England Still has agreed terms on a contract, and the south coast side hope he will be confirmed in time to attend their final Premier League game of the season. Saints, who were relegated in early April, host Arsenal on the final day of the season this weekend. The club also held talks with Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl. Rohl had been the No1 choice for some time, but wants to take more time to make a decision over his future. The German, a former assistant manager to Ralph Hasenhuttl at St. Mary's, has interest from his home country which could prove more attractive than a Championship job. Saints were reluctant to be left waiting and moved quickly to land Still, who has also managed Reims in Ligue 1 as well as Lierse and Beerschot in Belgium. Lens are not owed any compensation should Still leave, though the same cannot be said for his coaching staff, which include brothers Edward and Nicolas. Talks over compensation for his coaching staff are ongoing and remain the only sticking point before the appointment can be confirmed.

Well, yes. Pep Guardiola has a lot to answer for

Makes sense. I kind of assumed a formal announcement would likely happen on the Monday (or Tuesday) after the final game, but with him in the stands on Sunday to let everyone know what's happening

I liked the comment from WS that got a reading on TSP too ‘If we’re not winning games, I don’t care about styles of play, I don’t care about ‘my philosophy’ - I just want to win. I will change the team and change my tactics to win.'

https://twitter.com/JPercyTelegraph/status/1924752238733582350

The coaching staff are almost all out of contract, I think. I'm sure the Sheffield Star reported that, but may be getting wires crossed

Yeah, had failed at Benfica and Valencia. The discussion at the time was great name, bit of a coup for us but an undercurrent of concern that he hadn't been a profound success outside of the Eredivisie clubs he had managed. Pochettino had only managed one club and been sacked with them bottom of La Liga, etc etc.

Echo saying that the hope is to have the new manager (Will Still top pick, at this stage) in the stands for the Arsenal game

Saints hoping to have Will Still in the stands for this game, according to Echo

I understand the concerns about the amount of turnover/rebuilding but from a quick glance at Sheffield United's transfermarkt page, they brought in 17 players for this season and basically ripped it all up and started again and they haven't fared badly from it, clocking up 90pts I think someone said it on an earlier page but the difference between the haves and have nots in the Championship, financially, is pretty stark and as a parachute club in Y1 after relegation we should be on strong footing to get after it and be right in the race. But I do accept that yes, perhaps it will be that we are less fortunate than Sheff Utd. However, they did have a takeover, a change of leadership and a huge, huge overhaul of their playing squad and it was still going on into the late moments of the window because of those holdups. So it is very possible

Sounds a bit like Rohl is stalling to see if the Bundesliga musical chairs - Leverkusen, Leipzig, Wolfsburg jobs are open + whoever else might have a vacancy if they lose their coach to one of those three teams - gives him a chance to work back home, close to his family and in a top division If it's true that Johannes Spors wants to have plans in place by this time next week, which Alfie House says is the case, then perhaps we are getting restless and are now progressing with an alternative(s), hence the other names starting to pop up

Jesus, saw she’d had encephalitis too. Awful and understandable he’d want to come back here from France after finishing up with Lens

Exclusive interview with TNT https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/premier-league/2024-2025/tyler-dibling-jurgen-klopp-football-new-manager-search-southampton-planning-relegation-johannes-spors_sto23183150/story.shtml

From the Sky Sports website: Saints interested in CL right-back Latest from Sky Sports News' Anthony Joseph: Southampton are interested in Sturm Graz right-back Max Johnston. It’s understood that Saints have been watching the Scotland international very closely in the last couple of months. Several clubs from the Premier League, Championship and across Europe are monitoring Johnston’s situation, after impressive performances this season in the Champions League and Austrian Bundesliga. The 21-year-old has two years left on his contract with Sturm Graz and he is on the brink of winning a second successive league title with the club, since joining from Motherwell in July 2023. Sky Sports News understands Sturm Graz value the player at around £3m. Atalanta, Augsburg and Hamburg are among the interested clubs across Europe. Johnston has one goal and six assists this season and made his Scotland senior debut in March.

He actually was.... albeit very briefly. He broke his ankle while playing as a trialist for our academy years ago. He got turned down by us, Norwich and Reading, if I remember rightly (I might have the other two teams wrong) and then ended up rehabbing and fighting his way back in at Arsenal and getting a pro deal

Have two adult tickets in the Kingsland for today's game if anyone wants them, free to a good home (don't all rush at once... yes this is a sanity test)

Yep, mine arrived this morning too

How come? Game is still 10 days away

Don't worry, everyone

Vardy to score and game to end as a draw is 8/1