Will Still

[SWLondon Saint]

Come on, do you really think Rosenior is going to leave Strasbourg, in the top half of Ligue 1, part of the Chelsea group of clubs, to come to us?!? Realistically, any club is always going to look at who's out of work first.

[trousers]

If Rosenior is too good for us and the manager that's 5 places below us isn't good enough for us, how many realistic candidates does that leave...?

[Lighthouse]

14 minutes ago, Badger said:

Even after Hull possibly , and definitely after Derby in my book.

Hull? Our sixth league game and second defeat of the season. I’m glad you’re not running the club.

For me there needs to be sustained improvement over the next three games or else he should be gone. Preston, QPR and Wednesday should be seven points, if not nine. Anything less and he’s not the man for the job.

[Dman]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

Hull? Our sixth league game and second defeat of the season. I’m glad you’re not running the club.

For me there needs to be sustained improvement over the next three games or else he should be gone. Preston, QPR and Wednesday should be seven points, if not nine. Anything less and he’s not the man for the job.

I know its captain hindsight over here, but I genuinely feared for us after watching our first pre-season game against Eastleigh, where, much like the rest of this season, we struggled to break them down and had no clear pattern or style. I put it down as first game, things will improve, but in reality, they haven't. 

Personally think the writting has been on the walls since the Pompey game, the perforamnce was that bad - but up until this week was willing to give until the next international window for him to turn it around. Despite knowing that he's not going to. 

Things have changed this week imo. I think if we don't act urgently, we are in great danger of being dragged into a relegation scrap - which I don't think we have the bottle to get out of. 

[HKsaint]

7 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Hull? Our sixth league game and second defeat of the season. I’m glad you’re not running the club.

For me there needs to be sustained improvement over the next three games or else he should be gone. Preston, QPR and Wednesday should be seven points, if not nine. Anything less and he’s not the man for the job.

You still believe he can do this ?

[Badger]

11 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Hull? Our sixth league game and second defeat of the season. I’m glad you’re not running the club.

For me there needs to be sustained improvement over the next three games or else he should be gone. Preston, QPR and Wednesday should be seven points, if not nine. Anything less and he’s not the man for the job.

If I’d been running the club he wouldn’t be here in the first place.

Give him the next three games ? Fucking ridiculous. As someone else pointed out, this is reminiscent of Lego last season, giving him more games to show what we already knew - he wasn’t up to the job. Can add Pelligrino to the same list, didn’t that go on to February or March ? .But I suspect this is nearer the club’s stance. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Badger

[Lighthouse]

3 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

You still believe he can do this ?

I wouldn’t have been sad to have seen him sacked on Monday but since we haven’t, there’re now three winnable games in a week, which he needs to win two of to keep his job IMO.

1 minute ago, Badger said:

If I’d been running the club he wouldn’t be here in the first place.

Give him the next three games ? Fucking ridiculous. As someone else pointed out, this is reminiscent of Lego last season, giving him more games to show what we already knew - he wasn’t up to the job. Can add Pelligrino to the same list.But I suspect this is nearer the club’s stance. 

This is nothing like the Martin situation, with the players we have now we should be doing much better, whereas last season we were where we belonged. Mid November is about as patient as I’m willing to be without seeing improved results, personally.

[Badger]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

 

This is nothing like the Martin situation, with the players we have now we should be doing much better, whereas last season we were where we belonged. Mid November is about as patient as I’m willing to be without seeing improved results, personally.

So you accept the manager has the team underperforming? Why is that ? 

Similarity to me, is that in both seasons we have a manager who isn’t cutting it, and unlikely to turn things round. Meanwhile the board overlook the obvious and sleepwalk whilst our decline continues. 

[Dman]

4 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I wouldn’t have been sad to have seen him sacked on Monday but since we haven’t, there’re now three winnable games in a week, which he needs to win two of to keep his job IMO.

This is nothing like the Martin situation, with the players we have now we should be doing much better, whereas last season we were where we belonged. Mid November is about as patient as I’m willing to be without seeing improved results, personally.

Alternatively, its 3 winnable games we could easily waste.

For me, whilst i wanted him gone and it was clear he had to, at least under Martin you had a sense (up until the end) that we weren't a million miles off it and it was just his ridiclous stubborness to 1 style that was causing the problems. I just can't see anything from Still's side to say "if he changes that, we'll improve"

[Lighthouse]

2 minutes ago, Badger said:

So you accept the manager has the team underperforming? Why is that ? 

Similarity to me, is that in both seasons we have a manager who isn’t cutting it, and unlikely to turn things round. Meanwhile the board overlook the obvious and sleepwalk whilst our decline continues. 

I’ve never said anything other than that. I think seven points from our next three games is a very clear demand of a serious upturn in results. It’s very obvious that our team selections and substitutions are substandard and that we can’t carry on like this.

[ally_uk]

After the Blackburn game I was irritated. But in hindsight I don't think sacking Still now is the right move.

I'd say back him in January with a striker and let's see what he really is capable of. 

Get rid of the bad apples and let him build something. 

 

[Dman]

5 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

After the Blackburn game I was irritated. But in hindsight I don't think sacking Still now is the right move.

I'd say back him in January with a striker and let's see what he really is capable of. 

Get rid of the bad apples and let him build something. 

 

Absolutely bonkers. 

[Badger]

4 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I’ve never said anything other than that. I think seven points from our next three games is a very clear demand of a serious upturn in results. It’s very obvious that our team selections and substitutions are substandard and that we can’t carry on like this.

And yet you want to. 
 

Respect your view, and willingness to give the bloke a bit more time, but don’t share the view or logic of it. Have to agree to disagree ( without resorting to insults !!! ) 

[hypochondriac]

7 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

After the Blackburn game I was irritated. But in hindsight I don't think sacking Still now is the right move.

I'd say back him in January with a striker and let's see what he really is capable of. 

Get rid of the bad apples and let him build something. 

 

Our fan base has so many of these people. They were saying the same thing under Jones, Selles, Martin etc. Just weird. I get shrugging your shoulders when he isn't sacked and hoping for good performances but actively calling for him to stay until January at this point no matter the performances before then? Mad. 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, Badger said:

And yet you want to. 
 

Respect your view, and willingness to give the bloke a bit more time, but don’t share the view or logic of it. Have to agree to disagree ( without resorting to insults !!! ) 

I do think if we relieve Still of his duties this week I will look at it and think he's not the only one to blame here. He clearly has a lot of flaws but he's been really hobbled by the striker thing and the players we have bought who don't seem to fit into a coherent system. Also keeping old players to hang around like a bad smell. 

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Our fan base has so many of these people. They were saying the same thing under Jones, Selles, Martin etc. Just weird. I get shrugging your shoulders when he isn't sacked and hoping for good performances but actively calling for him to stay until January at this point no matter the performances before then? Mad. 

To be fair we sacked Jones and Selles fairly quickly and we got nowhere doing that.

[Willo of Whiteley]

14 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

After the Blackburn game I was irritated. But in hindsight I don't think sacking Still now is the right move.

I'd say back him in January with a striker and let's see what he really is capable of. 

Get rid of the bad apples and let him build something. 

 

This entirely.

You get the reactionary posters on here as always but actually when you break it down, Will Still can take some of the criticism but the players and the board need to take the majority.

We gain nothing by sacking him now.

[Willo of Whiteley]

I would love to see some of the posters on here manage the shitshow of players we have.

Can we then call for their sacking after a few games? 😂

[Lighthouse]

11 minutes ago, Badger said:

And yet you want to. 
 

Respect your view, and willingness to give the bloke a bit more time, but don’t share the view or logic of it. Have to agree to disagree ( without resorting to insults !!! ) 

I made it very clear that I don't want to carry on like this. I want us to improve, like we did under Pardew, Martin and Poch after indifferent starts. For me, this coming week is last chance territory.

[Turkish]

6 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I would love to see some of the posters on here manage the shitshow of players we have.

Can we then call for their sacking after a few games? 😂

Shit show of players? Do explain

[SWLondon Saint]

16 minutes ago, Badger said:

And yet you want to. 
 

Respect your view, and willingness to give the bloke a bit more time, but don’t share the view or logic of it. Have to agree to disagree ( without resorting to insults !!! ) 

 I'm not sure he particularly wants to - he's just being pragmatic. I thought after Blackburn - 1 point from 3 very winnable games - there was a high chance he'd get the boot. But as it didn't happen on Monday, every game of the next 3 is now a 'must win' for him to keep his job.

Hopefully the club is lining up a replacement in the meantime, be bloody stupid if they weren't.

[hypochondriac]

14 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

To be fair we sacked Jones and Selles fairly quickly and we got nowhere doing that.

Yes but I don't think anyone could seriously argue for not sacking Jones in particular- he should never have been given the job. Sacking Still may end up with us continuing to be terrible- probably most likely- but it doesn't mean the sacking itself is wrong. 

[ally_uk]

We're all entitled to our own opinion and mine is letting Still go would be short sighted. 

Watch some of our previous games, it's not like we haven't been creating chances.... Hitting the post and poor finishing aside it's all hypothetical but we should be on more points. 

Who would you bring in instead ? That will immediately make a impact?

I think the issues go alot deeper than our manager  

 

 

[SWLondon Saint]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Shit show of players? Do explain

Think it's safe to assume he's talking about our 'core players' who are now on the brink of getting a 4th manager sacked in the last season and a half?

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Yes but I don't think anyone could seriously argue for not sacking Jones in particular- he should never have been given the job. Sacking Still may end up with us continuing to be terrible- probably most likely- but it doesn't mean the sacking itself is wrong. 

All those spouting the shit about not needing experience of the championship have been silenced. I was quite positive about getting Will Still everything said he was a bit of a coup for us but there has been nothing and i mean nothing to suggest he is anywhere near as good as his reputation. 

We need to bring a strong leader in, someone who can galvanise the squad a lift them up, not a steady, young coach like Still. It hasn't worked and neither have any of their other appointments. If they sack him and go for another ridiculous gamble then they will never learn.

[tdmickey3]

On 25/10/2025 at 17:07, ally_uk said:

Léo Scienza best player on the pitch we take him off...... 

Bring on Jack Stephens, immediately invite more pressure on ourselves..... what's the logic behind this ? 

Then weaken our attack we have two strikers on the bench... 

I'm sorry but what a fucking doughnut haha 🤣🤣🤣

Yeah I've seen enough of this shit show pull the trigger now. 

 

 

32 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

After the Blackburn game I was irritated. But in hindsight I don't think sacking Still now is the right move.

I'd say back him in January with a striker and let's see what he really is capable of. 

Get rid of the bad apples and let him build something. 

 

Interesting U-turn

[Give it to Ron]

16 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I would love to see some of the posters on here manage the shitshow of players we have.

Can we then call for their sacking after a few games? 😂

How many would have subbed Scienza for Stephens?

[sfc4prem]

1 minute ago, tdmickey3 said:

 

Interesting U-turn

A full 180 right there.

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

All those spouting the shit about not needing experience of the championship have been silenced. I was quite positive about getting Will Still everything said he was a bit of a coup for us but there has been nothing and i mean nothing to suggest he is anywhere near as good as his reputation. 

We need to bring a strong leader in, someone who can galvanise the squad a lift them up, not a steady, young coach like Still. It hasn't worked and neither have any of their other appointments. If they sack him and go for another ridiculous gamble then they will never learn.

100%. The likes of MLG were spouting shit about championship experience not being needed and being irrelevant. That might be the case for some teams but it was clear we needed that with our group given how fragile they were and are. I expect they thought Trollope would be sufficient with Lallana maybe. I too thought Still would have been alright and he seems like a likable chap unlike some of our previous managers but he's just not the personality or type we need at present. I don't think he has the required skills to deal with the difficulties of our squad. 

[Give it to Ron]

3 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

Think it's safe to assume he's talking about our 'core players' who are now on the brink of getting a 4th manager sacked in the last season and a half?

Isn’t that mainly due to poor recruitment of managers and players? Managers terrible tactics?

My big issue with Still is we were sold this tactical flexible manager - how many games have we seen that?

Yet some are happy to sit with that until January!

[Lighthouse]

I'm not buying the whole striker problem either. If Russell Martin, who's is apparently worse than getting a paper cut off a nude photo of Margaret Thatcher, can come fourth with Che Adams, then we can do a lot better than 20th with Cameron Archer.

[sockeye]

I believe the problems run deeper than the manager but the substitutions are killing our game and have only gotten worse really.

Not advocating pulling the trigger purely because I’m not sure who would be substantially better and is available. But, if the people in charge do make a change then I wouldn’t protest. 

[SWLondon Saint]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I'm not buying the whole striker problem either. If Russell Martin, who's is apparently worse than getting a paper cut off a nude photo of Margaret Thatcher, can come fourth with Che Adams, then we can do a lot better than 20th with Cameron Archer.

I sort of do, because the current Cameron Archer seems to have absolutely no confidence after last season's shitshow. Maybe a switch to 4-2-3-1 could free him up if Azaz / Scienza can supply him from the AM spots, but he absolutely cannot play the striker role in our current setup as his hold up play is crap. 

[SWLondon Saint]

13 minutes ago, Turkish said:

All those spouting the shit about not needing experience of the championship have been silenced. I was quite positive about getting Will Still everything said he was a bit of a coup for us but there has been nothing and i mean nothing to suggest he is anywhere near as good as his reputation. 

We need to bring a strong leader in, someone who can galvanise the squad a lift them up, not a steady, young coach like Still. It hasn't worked and neither have any of their other appointments. If they sack him and go for another ridiculous gamble then they will never learn.

I think we were all optimistic given his reputation, but the players don't seem to be playing for him. Having said that, they also didn't play for an extremely experienced manager in Juric last season, who is now doing fine with Atalanta.

Would they play for someone like Carrick? Would he even be the right person given Rob Edwards is doing a lot better than him with Boro even after losing Azaz to us? I guess we'll probably find out soon...

 

[SWLondon Saint]

14 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

100%. The likes of MLG were spouting shit about championship experience not being needed and being irrelevant. That might be the case for some teams but it was clear we needed that with our group given how fragile they were and are. I expect they thought Trollope would be sufficient with Lallana maybe. I too thought Still would have been alright and he seems like a likable chap unlike some of our previous managers but he's just not the personality or type we need at present. I don't think he has the required skills to deal with the difficulties of our squad. 

In hindsight it's easy to say, but I reckon if SR had gone for Rob Edwards after he'd just gotten Luton relegated and been sacked, I'm pretty sure everyone would have been grabbing their pitchforks and torches... 

[coalman]

9 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

I sort of do, because the current Cameron Archer seems to have absolutely no confidence after last season's shitshow. Maybe a switch to 4-2-3-1 could free him up if Azaz / Scienza can supply him from the AM spots, but he absolutely cannot play the striker role in our current setup as his hold up play is crap. 

How are our attackers meant to build confidence when he chops and changea from one match (and half) to the next? The lack of a settled first 11 is really hurting us. It's nearly November. He should know who his first team are by now.

Edited 1 hour ago by coalman

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, SWLondon Saint said:

In hindsight it's easy to say, but I reckon if SR had gone for Rob Edwards after he'd just gotten Luton relegated and been sacked, I'm pretty sure everyone would have been grabbing their pitchforks and torches... 

I don't disagree. Personally I wanted Rohl but I would have settled for an alternative manager with good man management skills and a bit of experience in this league who can handle the fact that we'd just been shafted every week in the prem. Whatever Will's faults, the primary reason we are where we are is because we are shot to pieces mentally and IMO Still is struggling to address that. We should have identified that in the summer and got someone in who could do something about it. And bought a proper championship striker of course. 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, coalman said:

How are our attackers meant to build confidence when he chops and change from one match (and half) to the next? The lack of a settled first 11 is really hurting us. It's nearly November. He should know who his first team are by now.

Personally I'd say fuck it and either play the youth team bloke or Downs and just give them the majority of the game to see if they can get close to something. We don't have an awful lot to lose and without Stewart we have little choice until January other than to cross our fingers that Downs does something and gives us more of a presence up top. I'd probably drop Armstrong as well and play Fellows and Scienza to give us some creativity. 

[Oh no Mick Mills]

29 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Shit show of players? Do explain

Regis Le Bris and Enzo Maresco had no Championship experience yet managed to get their respective clubs promoted out of the Championship. 

Still understandably deserves criticism and will inevitably get the sack unless we have a big improvement.  

But I'm sorry , I just think the players are shite and we the fans have overhyped them. 

 

Both keepers are crap. 

Stephens is proven mediocre. 

THB has completely lost the plot. 

Edwards is distinctly average at best. 

Quarshie. All the attributes but shaky and crap first touch.

None of the full backs have looked particularly good apart from the occasional Manning cameo. 

Azaz . Crap , non existent. Boro fans warned us he disappears. 

Jander. Decent on the ball. Prospect. But lightweight and misses chances.(is he any better than Smallbone)

Charles. Quality. But still doesn't boss games enough.

Fellows. Decent, but no goals or assists yet.

Armstrong. Proven. Decent . But misses too many chances.

Archer. Crap. Can't hold up the ball. Terrible first touch. 

Scienza. Best player. Bye bye next season. 

Robinson. Exciting but raw , little end product. 

 

 

 

[SWLondon Saint]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Personally I'd say fuck it and either play the youth team bloke or Downs and just give them the majority of the game to see if they can get close to something. We don't have an awful lot to lose and without Stewart we have little choice until January other than to cross our fingers that Downs does something and gives us more of a presence up top. I'd probably drop Armstrong as well and play Fellows and Scienza to give us some creativity. 

That's pretty much where I am too with the team, just have Scienza-Azaz-Fellows with Downs ahead of them and hope any hoofs forward bounce of his back / arse to one of those 3. Archer/Armstrong up top are like the invisible midgets in terms of presence.

[sockeye]

yeah I’m on board with a stable starting 11, just pick the best 11 and give them the rest of the year even

 

Downs is shit but has a decent physical profile

I don’t know we just need to moor the team and have a bit of normality and stability

[Pwoite]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

I’ve never said anything other than that. I think seven points from our next three games is a very clear demand of a serious upturn in results. It’s very obvious that our team selections and substitutions are substandard and that we can’t carry on like this.

The trouble with looking for seven points is that would five be okay, if we’re denied a second win by a referee’s decision. Or is six? It has to be how we play as much as what we achieve, and we are failing to dominate matches, we’re brittle and we’re looking demotivated. 

[Osvaldorama]

17 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Regis Le Bris and Enzo Maresco had no Championship experience yet managed to get their respective clubs promoted out of the Championship. 

Still understandably deserves criticism and will inevitably get the sack unless we have a big improvement.  

But I'm sorry , I just think the players are shite and we the fans have overhyped them. 

 

Both keepers are crap. 

Stephens is proven mediocre. 

THB has completely lost the plot. 

Edwards is distinctly average at best. 

Quarshie. All the attributes but shaky and crap first touch.

None of the full backs have looked particularly good apart from the occasional Manning cameo. 

Azaz . Crap , non existent. Boro fans warned us he disappears. 

Jander. Decent on the ball. Prospect. But lightweight and misses chances.(is he any better than Smallbone)

Charles. Quality. But still doesn't boss games enough.

Fellows. Decent, but no goals or assists yet.

Armstrong. Proven. Decent . But misses too many chances.

Archer. Crap. Can't hold up the ball. Terrible first touch. 

Scienza. Best player. Bye bye next season. 

Robinson. Exciting but raw , little end product. 

 

 

 

Not buying this at all. 

Go through Blackburn’s team; or Hull or any other side that’s schooled us and tell me how many players you’d swap. 

Almost every team we play has worse players than us in almost every team in this league.

 

Our players aren’t PL quality but they’re good enough to be above 20th in the fucking league.  
Our keepers and strikers are very poor, but a good manager could set us up to be a lot harder to beat. 
 

It’s management & mindset. 
 

 

Edited 45 minutes ago by Osvaldorama

[Pwoite]

14 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Regis Le Bris and Enzo Maresco had no Championship experience yet managed to get their respective clubs promoted out of the Championship. 

Still understandably deserves criticism and will inevitably get the sack unless we have a big improvement.  

But I'm sorry , I just think the players are shite and we the fans have overhyped them. 

 

Both keepers are crap. 

Stephens is proven mediocre. 

THB has completely lost the plot. 

Edwards is distinctly average at best. 

Quarshie. All the attributes but shaky and crap first touch.

None of the full backs have looked particularly good apart from the occasional Manning cameo. 

Azaz . Crap , non existent. Boro fans warned us he disappears. 

Jander. Decent on the ball. Prospect. But lightweight and misses chances.(is he any better than Smallbone)

Charles. Quality. But still doesn't boss games enough.

Fellows. Decent, but no goals or assists yet.

Armstrong. Proven. Decent . But misses too many chances.

Archer. Crap. Can't hold up the ball. Terrible first touch. 

Scienza. Best player. Bye bye next season. 

Robinson. Exciting but raw , little end product. 

 

 

 

I don’t buy that we have 22 crap players. I will buy that we have a squad that is failing to be motivated, failing to understand what they are being asked to do, and failing to deliver what they are capable of, and for me that’s down to one person.

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, Pwoite said:

I don’t buy that we have 22 crap players. I will buy that we have a squad that is failing to be motivated, failing to understand what they are being asked to do, and failing to deliver what they are capable of, and for me that’s down to one person.

I agree with that. I do think we don't have as good players as some predicted at the start of the season. I do think we should be putting a team out that performs above where we are at present. 

[AlexLaw76]

37 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

In hindsight it's easy to say, but I reckon if SR had gone for Rob Edwards after he'd just gotten Luton relegated and been sacked, I'm pretty sure everyone would have been grabbing their pitchforks and torches... 

if managers are recruited on the strength of the reaction of SaintsWeb, then we a more tinpot than I could imagine.

otherwise, who cares if some would have been disgruntled. No one would care if we were in the top 6 

[Dman]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

To be fair we sacked Jones and Selles fairly quickly and we got nowhere doing that.

We sacked Selles (clearly never suitable for the job anyway) and then immediately got promoted the following season?

[Miltonaggro]

4 minutes ago, Dman said:

We sacked Selles (clearly never suitable for the job anyway) and then immediately got promoted the following season?

QED! 

[lambtiss]

1 hour ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I would love to see some of the posters on here manage the shitshow of players we have.

Can we then call for their sacking after a few games? 😂

But that isn't what WE are paid to do. HE is, and he isn't doing a good job.

[St Louis]

6 hours ago, Dman said:

We should be underperofming and still be in and around the top 6 - a bit like Leciester - to be 18th is pure negligence and poor management. 

18th!? We can dare to dream... 😉 
Perhaps that lofty height can be reached on Saturday?