Potential new Sunderland boss admits he is inspired by Newcastle manager



Will Still, the frontrunner for the Sunderland managerial position, has confessed to drawing inspiration from Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe throughout his career so far.

Sunderland have been without a permanent manager since Michael Beale’s dismissal last month, after a brief tenure of just 12 matches. The aforementioned Still is among the candidates speculated to succeed him at the Stadium of Light.

Last year, the 31-year-old head coach of Stade Reims made headlines in the United Kingdom for his commendable performance in Ligue 1. Currently, his team sit in ninth position in the French top flight as they prepare for their upcoming match against PSG this Sunday.

Although his appointment would likely be welcomed by most supporters, fans might not be as enthusiastic about hearing whom he draws inspiration from.

In an interview with AS, Still elaborated: “I was inspired by everyone. I think there are different ideas throughout the world of football that we can learn from. [Carlo] Ancelotti too, who has done absolutely crazy things. But we also have Eddie Howe, in Newcastle, who does things very well.”

Newcastle United’s English head coach Eddie Howe looks on ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup third round football match between Sunderland and Newcastle United at The Stadium of Light in Sunderland in north east England on January 6, 2024.

Sunderland tipped new boss inspired by Eddie Howe

If Sunderland manage to land the signature of Will Still then it would be quite the coupe for the north east outfit. The Englishman is becoming quite the trend in Europe given the impact he’s had on Stade Reims since taking over, but it’s also his background story.

Still gained fame when he openly admitted he experimented with tactics and formations on the Football Manager game. Additionally, Reims have to pay a fine after every game they play because Still doesn’t possess the correct coaching badges.