Ex-Preston North End coach open to Championship job as Sunderland manager links intensify

Will Still's stock has certainly risen since he was coaching Preston North End Under-14s - and he is now being linked with the Sunderland job, again.

Inspired by the video game, Football Manager, Still started off on his coaching journey by enrolling at Myerscough College and undertaking work experience with PNE's academy. Belgium-born, he moved overseas and worked his way up to assistant manager at Sint-Truiden. The same opportunities then came calling at Lierse and Beerschot,

French club Reims then head-hunted Still in 2021 and he eventually replaced Oscar Garcia as head coach. The 31-year-old's work with the Ligue 1 side has earned him plenty of praise and a move to the Stadium of Light is now being speculated - only a couple of months after Sunderland held talks with Still's camp, but appointed Michael Beale instead. In an interview with The Athletic, he has now outlined his ambition to work in England.

"I would work for a Championship team without a problem,” said Still. “What I’ve now understood, I’ve now realised, is how important people are. And how important finding the right place to be is going to be for my career. And people who understand the way I work, because I’m a bit different. I’m a bit odd sometimes. But if there’s a Championship club that’s ambitious, that wants to work in the right way and be open and honest about things, and really try and push to get somewhere, then I would love to do that.

"Obviously, the Premier League is the ultimate dream for any manager in the world. I’m not in a rush, either. It’s not that, if I come to England, I have to go to the Premier League - or I have to go to this or that club. If something fits then it fits, and I’d be just as happy doing that. I’ve never really had a career plan. I’ve never set a timing on anything. I’ve just waited for opportunities to come up; see how it feels, see what it’s like.”