Southampton have sacked Will Still after the club dropped closer to the Championship relegation zone. The 33-year-old, who was the youngest manager in the English Football League, departs five months into a three-year contract.
Still won just two of his 13 league matches in charge, recording a sole victory in the division since a stoppage-time opening-day win against Wrexham.
Saints lost 2-0 at home against Preston on Saturday to make it three league defeats in a row, after losing at Blackburn and Bristol City.
Saints announced in a statement that their under-21s head coach, Tonda Eckert, has taken interim charge. Still’s assistants Rubén Martínez and Clément Lemaitre – plus Carl Martin, who was at the club before Still’s appointment – have also left.
Johannes Spors, the Southampton technical director, said: “Will is a great person who gave everything to try and improve performances and results. Ultimately that process has taken longer than any of us would have liked. By making a change now we believe it gives us the best chance of turning things around this season and climbing back up the league table.
“I would like to thank Will, Rubén, Clément and Carl for their efforts and wish them well for the future.”
The Southampton defender Nathan Wood, meanwhile, has apologised for verbally abusing supporters as he left the field at St Mary’s on Saturday. “I’m regretful that I let my emotions get the better of me, and I take full accountability for them,” he said. “I will learn from this and will do my best to improve our performances on the pitch.”
Still’s assistant manager, Paul Trollope, and first-team coach, Adam Lallana, remain at the club.
