Sunderland: Will Still in contention for head coach role after leaving Stade de Reims | Transfer Centre News

Will Still is one of several names in the frame to become the new head coach at Sunderland, Sky Sports News understands.

The Englishman left Stade de Reims in May after they finished 9th in the French top flight, having taken over in October 2022.

Still has said he wants to manage in England and would “love” to work in the Premier League.

The 31-year-old has had an unorthodox route into management, working first as a video analyst in the Belgian leagues before taking over as boss at Beerschot VA.

Having been his assistant, he succeeded Oscar Garcia at Reims in 2022 and took the club to an 11th-placed finish before finishing 9th last year.

A 19-game unbeaten run during the 2022/23 season saw Still linked with the Leeds, Sunderland and Southampton jobs.

Rene Maric is also thought to be admired by Sunderland as they search for a successor to Michael Beale.

Maric is currently in charge of Bayern Munich’s U19 side.

Still: The Championship rivals the world’s top leagues

When Still spoke to Sky Sports in March 2023, he revealed that he would ‘love’ to be a Premier League manager and highlighted then Burnley manager and now Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany, who first tested himself in the EFL.

Still told Sky Sports: “I think if you asked any kid what they would like to do, they’d say they’d love to be a Premier League footballer or manager and I’m no different. I was brought up like everyone else and had the same dreams. I’ll keep at them.

“If it happens one day I’ll deserve it, or I hope I will have deserved it, but I realise how much work there is to do before I get there and how much I’ve got to learn. For now, I will stick it to one side.

“Vincent Kompany was at Anderlecht last year and has gone into the Championship and has done an unbelievable job. I think the Championship rivals many of the top leagues in the world.

“All the doors are open. I’m not closing anything at any time.”