Will Still

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

I know it's fashionable on here to pretend that you don't enjoy seeing us dominate games, creates lots more chances than the opposition, score more goals than them and pick up more points than them in this league but I really think people should learn to embrace games in which we have 75% possession, 27 shots compared the oppositions 10, score 2 compared to their 1 and pick up 3 points compared to their 0 because that is kind of the whole point?  

Edit: Enjoy might not be the right word tbh. Maybe "pleased" is a better word because picking holes in that kind of performance just seems to be pre meditated or deliberately focusing on negatives. And yes, I will happily spend a whole couple of years defending a manager who delivers football results and performances.

Those figures don't represent the game that I watched. If you like to watch spreadsheet soccer then please feel free but let's not pretend that it bears any relationship to the game in reality. 

For instance,  they hit the bar with our whole defence beaten yet that won't appear in your list of random numbers. 

[Fabrice29]

9 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Those figures don't represent the game that I watched. If you like to watch spreadsheet soccer then please feel free but let's not pretend that it bears any relationship to the game in reality. 

For instance,  they hit the bar with our whole defence beaten yet that won't appear in your list of random numbers. 

It literally does appear in those numbers. Again, if you cant be pleased with games like that, you're setting yourself up for a miserable season.

[AlexLaw76]

3/5 at the back - shite. Fucking shite

[maysie]

4 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

3/5 at the back - shite. Fucking shite

Will Still likes to play with width and I reckon he doesn’t rate our wingers (we don’t have many tbh) so is using 5 at the back for the wing backs to produce  the width. Hopefully we can sign some wingers and then do away with the back 3. It isn’t what he usually plays.

[Matthew Le God]

6 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

3/5 at the back - shite. Fucking shite

He has publicly stated he is playing like that until some new players arrive.

[Weston Super Saint]

9 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

He has publicly stated he is playing like that until some new players arrive.

I guess Spors is ignoring him then....

[Maggie May]

18 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

3/5 at the back - shite. Fucking shite

Solid point away against the title favourites - that’s the spirit!

[bpsaint]

Hopefully he kicks down Spors’ door tomorrow and says get me some players you fucking helmet.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Just now, bpsaint said:

Hopefully he kicks down Spors’ door tomorrow and says get me some players you fucking helmet.

Which is funnily enough how Juric ended up in a fight with his Torino sporting director. 🙂

[CSA96]

Another interesting answer from WS on styles of play in the written section of his press conference...

on Stoke being a direct, vertical team, different styles of play and which teams he enjoyed watching growing up...

I just love football. The thing that's always stuck in my head goes back to the first coach that I worked with. He said that we can try to play the most beautiful football in the world, but the ultimate goal is winning - because that's what you're judged on.

People say 'oh you need to play this way, or that way...' like the Southampton way or like with Sam Allardyce, the West Ham way. But what is the West Ham way? What is the Southampton way? You got relegated, so obviously there's something that doesn't work in it. Our way now is win, because that's all we have to do.

You also depend on the profile of the players that you've got. You're not going to ask big physical players to play the tiki-taka that some teams want to play. Which is why when people ask 'what's your coaching philosophy?' or 'what approach do you like?' then it's just: you've got to get the best out of the players that you've got, deal with their strengths and their weaknesses with whatever squad is in front of you. Our job is just to win football games because if we don't win them then you don't get time and you get sacked.

I've never been a fan of keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession. We want to be positive. As long as the players enjoy it, get a kick out of it and the fans can identify with what we're trying to do then I'll be happy. Ultimately, I'll only be happy if we win games.

Edited Thursday at 23:42 by CSA96

[saintant]

9 hours ago, CSA96 said:

Another interesting answer from WS on styles of play in the written section of his press conference...

on Stoke being a direct, vertical team, different styles of play and which teams he enjoyed watching growing up...

I just love football. The thing that's always stuck in my head goes back to the first coach that I worked with. He said that we can try to play the most beautiful football in the world, but the ultimate goal is winning - because that's what you're judged on.

People say 'oh you need to play this way, or that way...' like the Southampton way or like with Sam Allardyce, the West Ham way. But what is the West Ham way? What is the Southampton way? You got relegated, so obviously there's something that doesn't work in it. Our way now is win, because that's all we have to do.

You also depend on the profile of the players that you've got. You're not going to ask big physical players to play the tiki-taka that some teams want to play. Which is why when people ask 'what's your coaching philosophy?' or 'what approach do you like?' then it's just: you've got to get the best out of the players that you've got, deal with their strengths and their weaknesses with whatever squad is in front of you. Our job is just to win football games because if we don't win them then you don't get time and you get sacked.

I've never been a fan of keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession. We want to be positive. As long as the players enjoy it, get a kick out of it and the fans can identify with what we're trying to do then I'll be happy. Ultimately, I'll only be happy if we win games.

What a refreshing change from Russball and his blinkered one-method approach regardless of the opposition and type of players in his squad.

[Turkish]

9 hours ago, CSA96 said:

Another interesting answer from WS on styles of play in the written section of his press conference...

on Stoke being a direct, vertical team, different styles of play and which teams he enjoyed watching growing up...

I just love football. The thing that's always stuck in my head goes back to the first coach that I worked with. He said that we can try to play the most beautiful football in the world, but the ultimate goal is winning - because that's what you're judged on.

People say 'oh you need to play this way, or that way...' like the Southampton way or like with Sam Allardyce, the West Ham way. But what is the West Ham way? What is the Southampton way? You got relegated, so obviously there's something that doesn't work in it. Our way now is win, because that's all we have to do.

You also depend on the profile of the players that you've got. You're not going to ask big physical players to play the tiki-taka that some teams want to play. Which is why when people ask 'what's your coaching philosophy?' or 'what approach do you like?' then it's just: you've got to get the best out of the players that you've got, deal with their strengths and their weaknesses with whatever squad is in front of you. Our job is just to win football games because if we don't win them then you don't get time and you get sacked.

I've never been a fan of keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession. We want to be positive. As long as the players enjoy it, get a kick out of it and the fans can identify with what we're trying to do then I'll be happy. Ultimately, I'll only be happy if we win games.

Some people say he is a modern coach and highly as one of Europes best young coaches. This shows why he isn't. Unless you have a philosophy you are nothing. Adapt the team and players to their strengths is just ridiculous. The hipsters will never take to this and if they're not in you are dead.

[hypochondriac]

Love that he says we just have to win. Puts pressure on himself to get results rather than simply to play well or in a particular way. I like when managers back their own ability. 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Some people say he is a modern coach and highly as one of Europes best young coaches. This shows why he isn't. Unless you have a philosophy you are nothing. Adapt the team and players to their strengths is just ridiculous. The hipsters will never take to this and if they're not in you are dead.

I mean how can players learn to be brave unless they are asked to play the tactics and philosophy of a genius guru?

[trousers]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

Love that he says we just have to win. Puts pressure on himself to get results rather than simply to play well or in a particular way. I like when managers back their own ability. 

Aye... A breath of fresh air indeed 👍🏻

[goodymatt]

Early days and we are yet to perform anywhere near our potential given all the uncertainty and change. However, I have the  feeling that he’s going to deliver. Just feels ‘right’. Comes across very honest and sees where the issues are. Hopefully Spors gives him the right tools by the end of this window to do his best. If so, we could be in for a great season.

[Turkish]

26 minutes ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

I mean how can players learn to be brave unless they are asked to play the tactics and philosophy of a genius guru?

Also he wont be able to blame the players for not sticking to the game plan when we suffer embarassing losses. He wont be able to feel so much love and be so proud of them for trying to do the right things if he's dicking about all the time telling them to do what they're good at.

[S-Clarke]

51 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Early days and we are yet to perform anywhere near our potential given all the uncertainty and change. However, I have the  feeling that he’s going to deliver. Just feels ‘right’. Comes across very honest and sees where the issues are. Hopefully Spors gives him the right tools by the end of this window to do his best. If so, we could be in for a great season.

I don't want to speak too soon, because we've all been burnt so many times in the past.

But I do kind of get the same vibe. It's hard to explain why, but sometimes things just feel right and you ultimately have immediate trust. That's what this feels like here.

I think a lot of it is because he talks straight, there's no waffle from him. He's straight, he wants to win games, he doesn't care how, here's here to win games. So many times it's been about philosophy and playing a certain way all the fricking time, but for me it's about getting good players, playing them in their natural positions and being flexible when required.

That's where I feel we are now. And the Mads signing is another example of our common sense approach imo. Nothing clever, nothing flashy, 'just works'.

[gio1saints]

Agree with people saying don’t judge get too happy or too angry too soon. 

IF Will is going to stay true to “ it’s all about winning” - the reverse side is forget about style - Machiavellian ends justifies the means is the new catchphrase nothing about bravery..🤣

In which case some posters on Here better forget phrases like “he doesn’t know his best team”  or “he flip flops like a tinker man too much “ or “the players dont know what to do” if we should god forbid drop points and he starts to change the way we play accordingly. 

I can see some then demanding consistency and continuity as the best pathway instead of chopping and changing each week. He cannot please all of the fans all of the time is the moral of that story I guess! 😁

Edited yesterday at 11:24 by gio1saints

[AlexLaw76]

Love the comment about winning. 

Remember when we had a hipster manager, who was proud of the style over some results?

the damage he did to us last season was incredible (along with poor recruiting)

[S-Clarke]

4 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Love the comment about winning. 

Remember when we had a hipster manager, who was proud of the style over some results?

the damage he did to us last season was incredible (along with poor recruiting)

I'm sure that actually came out of his mouth once.

'if we lose, but we're doing it the right way, I'm so proud of them'' - or something a long those lines. Utter bullshit. So glad we're out of that.

Feel sorry for Rangers.

[Willo of Whiteley]

We will finish top two.

[Midfield_General]

13 hours ago, CSA96 said:

Another interesting answer from WS on styles of play in the written section of his press conference...

on Stoke being a direct, vertical team, different styles of play and which teams he enjoyed watching growing up...

I just love football. The thing that's always stuck in my head goes back to the first coach that I worked with. He said that we can try to play the most beautiful football in the world, but the ultimate goal is winning - because that's what you're judged on.

People say 'oh you need to play this way, or that way...' like the Southampton way or like with Sam Allardyce, the West Ham way. But what is the West Ham way? What is the Southampton way? You got relegated, so obviously there's something that doesn't work in it. Our way now is win, because that's all we have to do.

You also depend on the profile of the players that you've got. You're not going to ask big physical players to play the tiki-taka that some teams want to play. Which is why when people ask 'what's your coaching philosophy?' or 'what approach do you like?' then it's just: you've got to get the best out of the players that you've got, deal with their strengths and their weaknesses with whatever squad is in front of you. Our job is just to win football games because if we don't win them then you don't get time and you get sacked.

I've never been a fan of keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession. We want to be positive. As long as the players enjoy it, get a kick out of it and the fans can identify with what we're trying to do then I'll be happy. Ultimately, I'll only be happy if we win games.

It's hearing the steady stream of common sense like this that is the reason why I'm starting to develop the first twitches of a man crush on the modest, straight-talking, Tintin-looking little scamp. Very early days but so far he just feels like a great fit for the club and the fans - for me the most natural fit since Ralph came in. 

[OldNick]

1 hour ago, Midfield_General said:

It's hearing the steady stream of common sense like this that is the reason why I'm starting to develop the first twitches of a man crush on the modest, straight-talking, Tintin-looking little scamp. Very early days but so far he just feels like a great fit for the club and the fans - for me the most natural fit since Ralph came in. 

Shame is tht if he does do well he will be off to higher climes and we will again pine for the good old days

[benjii]

I dunno, I liked Mad Nate.

[Matty's Caddy]

What a breath of fresh air

[Turkish]

Just now, Matty's Caddy said:

What a breath of fresh air

it just shows how crazy football has become though that a manager who prioritises winning over playing style, play a system that suits the players he's got and ask them to do what their good at is considered a breath of fresh air. This is actually just normal but in the world of football these days doing that is considered a visionary, talented coach 😂

[SWLondon Saint]

19 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Remember when we had a hipster manager, who was proud of the style over some results?

the damage he did to us last season was incredible (along with poor recruiting)

I honestly think Martin did more damage than people give him credit for. Juric clearly couldn't believe how unfit and under prepared the players were, and Martin might actually have ruined several players careers, in particular BBD and Archer, but also Sugawara and to a lesser extent Smallbone and Downes. The first 3 you can see tried to 'fit in' with his demands to always play short and safe against their instincts, and you can see they're still second-guessing themselves now which is why they don't look 'right' on the pitch. Smallbone and Downes because they play wall passes ALL the time, even when there's no-one behind them and they should turn, or when the wall pass puts the receiver in more trouble than they are.

It's like they all need to be broken out of a cult, and that's what Still means when he talks about psychological trauma I reckon, along with the clear 'acceptability' of catastrophic defensive ricks that Martin allows. Everyone makes mistakes, but you cover each others' backs, that's how proper accountability works.

[Harry_SFC]

20 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I'm sure that actually came out of his mouth once.

'if we lose, but we're doing it the right way, I'm so proud of them'' - or something a long those lines. Utter bullshit. So glad we're out of that.

Feel sorry for Rangers.

"I'd rather lose playing this way than win playing a different style" Utterly ridiculous and showed complete disregard for the club and fans. 

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

"I'd rather lose playing this way than win playing a different style" Utterly ridiculous and showed complete disregard for the club and fans. 

I've got "Fabrice defends this statement within 27 minutes of it being posted" in the sweepstake. Come on Fabrice me ol' mucker... Don't let me down 🙏🏻

Edited 7 hours ago by trousers

[Midfield_General]

35 minutes ago, trousers said:

I've got "Fabrice defends this statement within 27 minutes of it being posted" in the sweepstake. Come on Fabrice me ol' mucker... Don't let me down 🙏🏻

For the avoidance of doubt, the exact words of Russell Martin (managerial honours: one 13th place finish in League One, one 15th place and one 10th place finish in the Championship, one Championship play-off final win) were: 

"I’ve been happier with a performance when losing than I have sometimes when we have won, playing really poorly, and I always make that really clear to the players. Winning ugly every now and then is fine, but you don’t get away with it for long."

It's a quote from this interview with the Guardian: 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/aug/16/russell-martin-southampton-premier-league

A counterpoint would be José Mourinho (managerial honours: winner of three Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, one League Cup, two Serie A's, one Coppa Italia, one Supercoppa Italiana, one La Liga, one Coppa Del Rey, one Supercoppa Espana, one UEFA Conference League, one Europa League, one UEFA Cup and two Champions' Leagues), who said: 

"Some coaches prefer to sell the idea of having a philosophy, but I think, the philosophy, you have to sell it after you win. First, you win, then you sell the philosophy and then you prove to everybody that your philosophy is correct, your philosophy is great, but you have to win.

"If you try to sell your philosophy but you win nothing then what is the point? [If you say] 'I have a philosophy, I have an identity, my team plays very well', that's not true because if your team plays well, they win [trophies]."

https://www.si.com/soccer/2019/03/24/jose-mourinho-trophies-jurgen-klopp-philosophy-win

Anyway, this is the Will Still thread. Will Still seems sound, doesn't he? 

Edited 6 hours ago by Midfield_General

[Turkish]

36 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

For the avoidance of doubt, the exact words of Russell Martin (managerial honours: one 13th place finish in League One, one 15th place and one 10th place finish in the Championship, one Championship play-off final win) were: 

"I’ve been happier with a performance when losing than I have sometimes when we have won, playing really poorly, and I always make that really clear to the players. Winning ugly every now and then is fine, but you don’t get away with it for long."

It's a quote from this interview with the Guardian: 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/aug/16/russell-martin-southampton-premier-league

A counterpoint would be José Mourinho (managerial honours: winner of three Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, one League Cup, two Serie A's, one Coppa Italia, one Supercoppa Italiana, one La Liga, one Coppa Del Rey, one Supercoppa Espana, one UEFA Conference League, one Europa League, one UEFA Cup and two Champions' Leagues), who said: 

"Some coaches prefer to sell the idea of having a philosophy, but I think, the philosophy, you have to sell it after you win. First, you win, then you sell the philosophy and then you prove to everybody that your philosophy is correct, your philosophy is great, but you have to win.

"If you try to sell your philosophy but you win nothing then what is the point? [If you say] 'I have a philosophy, I have an identity, my team plays very well', that's not true because if your team plays well, they win [trophies]."

https://www.si.com/soccer/2019/03/24/jose-mourinho-trophies-jurgen-klopp-philosophy-win

Anyway, this is the Will Still thread. Will Still seems sound, doesn't he? 

Mourinho also said recently 

“It used to be believed that whoever won the most was the best, but that's no longer the case. Now, whoever creates the most perceptions is the best. There are coaches who try things that don't work and fail, but they say, 'I died with my idea.' If you die with your idea, you're stupid."

👏👏👏👏👏

[Saint86]

On 22/08/2025 at 00:41, CSA96 said:

Another interesting answer from WS on styles of play in the written section of his press conference...

on Stoke being a direct, vertical team, different styles of play and which teams he enjoyed watching growing up...

I just love football. The thing that's always stuck in my head goes back to the first coach that I worked with. He said that we can try to play the most beautiful football in the world, but the ultimate goal is winning - because that's what you're judged on.

People say 'oh you need to play this way, or that way...' like the Southampton way or like with Sam Allardyce, the West Ham way. But what is the West Ham way? What is the Southampton way? You got relegated, so obviously there's something that doesn't work in it. Our way now is win, because that's all we have to do.

You also depend on the profile of the players that you've got. You're not going to ask big physical players to play the tiki-taka that some teams want to play. Which is why when people ask 'what's your coaching philosophy?' or 'what approach do you like?' then it's just: you've got to get the best out of the players that you've got, deal with their strengths and their weaknesses with whatever squad is in front of you. Our job is just to win football games because if we don't win them then you don't get time and you get sacked.

I've never been a fan of keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession. We want to be positive. As long as the players enjoy it, get a kick out of it and the fans can identify with what we're trying to do then I'll be happy. Ultimately, I'll only be happy if we win games.

This was his interview answer when they asked him about his coaching style and how it related to Russel Martin, wasn't it?

Solak then hired him on the spot...

[Saint86]

20 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

It's hearing the steady stream of common sense like this that is the reason why I'm starting to develop the first twitches of a man crush on the modest, straight-talking, Tintin-looking little scamp. Very early days but so far he just feels like a great fit for the club and the fans - for me the most natural fit since Ralph came in. 

To me, he has aspects of both Ralph and koeman - but with far superior man management. I.e., be's both tough / ruthless, and sensitive / considered to squad morale and how to manage the various players.

As I said in the pre season predictions thread - he's going to Belgium the fuck out of the championship.

Still think we will go up top two - provided the squad looks good end of the month.

Edited 6 hours ago by Saint86

[Lord Duckhunter]

33 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

To me, he has aspects of both Ralph and koeman - but with far superior man management.

Behave yourself. 
 

What’s this pony based on? 

[AlexLaw76]

43 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

To me, he has aspects of both Ralph and koeman - but with far superior man management. I.e., be's both tough / ruthless, and sensitive / considered to squad morale and how to manage the various players.

As I said in the pre season predictions thread - he's going to Belgium the fuck out of the championship.

Still think we will go up top two - provided the squad looks good end of the month.

My Christ 

[Saint_clark]

Saint86 is getting ahead of himself clearly but I feel more positive about Still every time I see us play, every time he speaks and for some weird reason just every day without anything even happening. 

[Toadhall Saint]

Early days but I’m liking what I see (esp as it’s not his preferred formation) and what he says.

[gio1saints]

1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

Saint86 is getting ahead of himself clearly but I feel more positive about Still every time I see us play, every time he speaks and for some weird reason just every day without anything even happening. 

Ahhh. Loves first bloom. It’s a beautiful thing @Saint_clark. Always better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all - as many Saints fans can testify to - or, as John Lennon said ( though I’m not sure he had Will Still or Saints in mind, probably it was Yoko Ono but there you go) 

• “Love is the flower you've got to let grow." 
  🙏

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

- or, as John Lennon said ( though I’m not sure he had Will Still or Saints in mind, probably it was Yoko Ono but there you go) 

 

• “Love is the flower you've got to let grow." 
  🙏

Although the next line

"unless it's under hallowed dugouts, then you've got to mow."

divides fans to this day. Was Lennon a secret Evertonian? 

Many, like me, think it was a cheap shot at McCartney's writing in the first line, and his Everton support in the second. Lennon's own mind games at work.

It's all in my monograph, The heart-Beat of Football.

 

[AlexLaw76]

Poor show from him so far

wedded to a system as much as Martin