Will Still, 32, RESIGNS as Lens manager and returns to England as Sky Sports presenter partner battles illness
WILL STILL has resigned as the RC Lens manager and has returned to England.
The manager has left after just one season in order to be closer to partner Emma Saunders following her battle with cancer.
Still, 32, went public with his relationship with the Sky Sports presenter during Euro 2024.
He announced his decision to leave Lens after their final game of the season which was attended by Saunders.
He said: “I won’t be the coach of RC Lens next season.
“It was the last season at Bollaert, for multiple reasons.
“The main reason that pushed me to make this decision is the fact that I need to go home.
“Everyone is well aware of what happened in my life. That’s why.
“I had a lot of fun, I think we achieved great things despite everything. I’ve been in France for four years, four years that I’ve experienced intense moments.
“The logical choice is that I get closer to my wife for her well-being too.”
Lens finished their time with Still as manager with a 4-0 win over AS Monaco.
Neil El Aynaoui netted twice while Adrien Thomasson and Anass Zaroury wrapped up the scoring.
The victory sealed an 8th-placed finish in the Ligue 1 table.
Still will now be able to close to Saunders as she battles health issues.
She had revealed that at the start of the season she had been treated for thyroid cancer.
She is now recovering from a brain infection called encephalitis which is a condition in which it becomes inflamed.
Emma attended Still’s final game at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis and shared a snap with him on the pitch.
The fans have previously shown their support towards Emma and Still as they held a banner that read “Courage Emma et Will.”
In her career, she has also worked for the likes of BBC Sport, fronting women’s football on the channel alongside her work at Sky.
The two cosied up as they posed for the picture and she captioned the post: “Bravo”.
Still made a name for himself as the youngest manager in Europe’s top five leagues.
He was just 30 when he took over at Reims – even before getting his Uefa Pro Licence, costing the club £22,000 per match.
Still guided the club to ninth in Ligue 1 last season before announcing his exit to take over at RC Lens.
He has already picked up some work in England as he was a special guest on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football in April.