Will Still, 32, RESIGNS as Lens manager and returns to England as Sky Sports presenter girlfriend 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.
7
Will Still has resigned as RC Lens manager
Credit: AFP
7
He wants to spend more time with his partner Emma Saunders
Credit: Instagram / @wrstill
7
They went public with their relationship last year
Credit: Instagram / @wrstill
7
Emma has been battling illness since 2024
Credit: https://www.instagram.com/emmasaunds/?hl=en
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.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
"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."
Most read in Football
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.
7
Emma shared this snap on her Instagram page
Credit: Instagram
7
She is a Sky Sports presenter
Credit: Instagram / @emmasaunds
7
Fans have showed their support for the couple in the past
Credit: https://www.instagram.com/stories/emmasaunds/3589641464853836405/
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
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
".
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
He has already picked up some work in England as he was a special guest on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football in April.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
10 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Down to earth' Brit tennis ace Emma Raducanu takes train home from Eastbourne loss after star's Porsche ‘taken back'
EMMA Raducanu swaps her Porsche for a train back from her Eastbourne loss. Advertisement 3 Tennis ace Emma Raducanu was spotted catching a train back to London following her recent loss in Eastbourne Credit: TillenDove 3 The star had a practice session ahead of her Wimbledon match today Credit: PA 3 Emma with the Porsche she was given after her 2021 US Open win Credit: Victor Goico She had a practice session ahead of her Wimbledon match today. The Porsche she was given after her 2021 US Open win Emma was spotted buying a coffee with coach Mark Petchey and mum Renee Zhai on the platform. A source said: 'This shows Emma's success has not got to her head, and she is still very much focused and down to Earth. Advertisement READ MORE ON EMMA RADUCANU 'The train was the quickest way back to London, so she took it instead of asking for a car, which some other players would have done.' The unseeded and injury-hit ace will face teen starlet Raducanu said she sees a lot of her younger self in her fellow Brit, but is confident of ending her Wimbledon debut at the first hurdle. Advertisement Most read in Sport It was recently announced that the superstar pair for the revamped US Open mixed doubles event in August. Emma Raducanu giggles as she addresses Carlos Alcaraz relationship ahead of Wimbledon And SunSport The British No1 missed the Spaniard's victory over Jiri Lehecka as she had headed to Eastbourne to play in her final event before Wimbledon. Advertisement Speaking before her round one match against Ann Li, Raducanu lifted the lid on her partnership with Alcaraz. After the world No2 joked that Raducanu "took a while" to give him a response, she said: "I mean, of course, I had to ask my team if they wanted me to play. "But for me, when he asked me, I was going to say yes, I just had to kind of go through the formality of asking my coach, so I didn't just make the decision." When it was put to Raducanu that fans have frequently joked that she and Alcaraz are "destined for each other", the British star laughed and replied: "I'm glad the internet is having fun and we're providing entertainment for everyone." Advertisement On how they became friends, Raducanu added: "I've known him for years and actually in Wimbledon 2021 it was like kind of the first time I started getting to know him, and I had a good run there and then also again in the US Open in 2021. "And I remember he was always playing the day before me and I was playing like the second day of the round. "And I would see him win and then I would have motivation to win and get myself into that position too. "And I remember he beat Stef [Tsitsipas] in the third round and it was like a big win, his breakout kind of win on a big stage and it was really cool to kind of, I guess, go through that tournament together and then I kept going through the US Open, but we were staying in touch for the whole time and yeah, it's nice." Advertisement
Irish Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kevin Penrose has received a huge number of messages from other LGBTQ+ sports
Kevin Penrose, the GAA player and online influencer, has been inundated with messages of support from fellow LGBTQ+ individuals in rural Ireland since he bravely came out as gay. He's been candid about his journey, discussing how he distanced himself from sports while grappling with his sexual identity. Highlighting the significance of proper education and challenging inappropriate language, Kevin expressed his newfound joy in playing football again. Kevin told RSVP Live: "It has been three years since I came out. When I first came out I got a lot of messages locally, people saying congratulations and well done. This year has been like coming out again, but this time to the nation. "I have gotten an amount of messages from lads in rural communities who have been through the same journey, or are going through it. It puts it all into perspective about how common my story is and how people don't talk about it. "It is nice when people message and ask for advice, it is no longer my story, it is their story as well. "Hopefully more people will feel more comfortable to come forward and share their own stories. I feel like coming out is the last taboo subject within the GAA." Kevin wanted to share his experience to help other people in similar situations, but comments sections of social media have asked why he feels the need to "come out" and why he doesn't focus on GAA. He explained: "People ask why I have to come out and talk about my sexuality and not just play the sport. They don't see the other side of it and the experiences I had. "I had to drop out because I didn't feel comfortable in that environment and I couldn't play to my full potential on the pitch. "You see the same comments over and over online, but have these people even read the article or listened to the podcast. They see a headline and they just jump on it. "They haven't taken the time to understand the story. They think nobody will see their comment. "The only place I see comments like that is on Facebook, it is not the same on Instagram or TikTok. If that person saw you in the street they wouldn't come up and say it to your face." Does he face much negativity online? "I have been on social media for years, so I don't look for it or maybe I am immune to it. "You could end up down a dark rabbit hole. Most of the time it is a blank profile. If you engage with them it is unlikely they will change their minds." Once Kevin came out, his friends and teammates reached out to him. He said: "My closest friends said, 'Sorry you felt like that and we couldn't help, sorry you were suffering in silence.' I distanced myself from them and fell off the radar and, for them, they felt sad that I couldn't open up to them and come to them with my problems. "I grew up with them and played with them week in, week out, so to go from that to no contact was hard. "Everyone has been encouraging and they have reassured me that there is nothing to worry about." Kevin has been able to call people out for using offensive language and he understands that it all comes down to education. The Tyrone man said: "People who used terminology in the changing rooms or who engaged in conversations that might be seen as banter have apologised a few times. It comes down to a lack of education and experience. "I am the first gay player in the club so they are wondering how to navigate that. They don't know what is right and what is wrong in terms of making me feel comfortable. "I told them it is okay to ask questions and to open up conversations. When I first went back playing there were times where I had to call out some of the lads for their language, but they didn't realise they were wrong. "I think that comes from years of not being called out. It is completely now, the comments and wrong language are non existent on the pitch and off the pitch. "They are a lot more mindful and respectful, which is good. Hopefully that will continue with the younger generations coming up." Kevin feels so much happier now he is back playing for his club Aghyaran again. He said: "Back then, I was there physically, but I wasn't there mentally. I wasn't playing to my full potential. It got to the stage at age 17 and 18 where I was trying to make an impression with the senior team, but I was working for years and I wasn't getting the recognition or starting team. "I wasn't getting game time. My first thought was to tell myself that I wasn't a good footballer. I know myself that I was a good footballer. "I remember being nervous on my first session when I came back. My worries were gone though, I was just there to play football and I was thinking about what anyone was saying about me. "I didn't feel like I needed to act in any way or talk about certain things just to fit it. I have worked very hard to get my starting position on the senior team and I haven't looked back since." Kevin is gearing up for a busy Pride weekend in Dublin. He said: "I am just back from a few days in Connemara. I had football at the end of the week and then I travelled to Dublin for Pride this weekend. "I am hoping to make the parade if I am down in time and then I am going to the Mother Block Party." Kevin was speaking at the launch of SuperValu's new limited edition Pride themed Bag for Life, which is on sale this month in outlets nationwide. All of the profits will be donated to Belong To, the national LGBTQ+ youth organisation. He said: "SuperValu have worked with the GAA on campaigns for a number of years now. This one with Belong To fits perfectly with my story of coming out as gay. "Belong To is a fantastic service and it's something I wish I knew about and had access to when I was growing up. I am delighted and honoured to have been asked to be part of the campaign so I can amplify and share my story. "Hopefully someone else can take courage from it and navigate their own journey."
The Irish Sun
17 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
England U21s star looks worse for wear after wild celebrations onboard 3:30am flight for winning European Championships
ENGLAND Under-21s star Jack Hinshelwood looked worse for wear after wild celebrations following the Euros triumph. The Three Lions beat Germany 3-2 in the final with Jonathan Rowe notching an extra-time winner. 6 Jack Hinshelwood looks a little worse for wear after the final celebrations Credit: Instagram @harvelliot 6 Hinshelwood, right, was on the beers after the Euros triumph Credit: Instagram @ 6 England Under-21s beat Germany to win the Euros 6 Final goalscorer Harvey Elliott celebrates with the trophy Credit: Instagram @elliotandersonn 6 Elliott posed for photos with Liverpool team-mate Tyler Morton Credit: Instagram @tylermorton6 6 Alex Scott gave Morton a new nickname Credit: Instagram @alexscott The players enjoyed their success with boozy celebrations in Slovakia, leaving some a little under the weather. Hinshelwood was filmed by The Brighton star looked the part in an He posed for a selfie alongside goalkeeper James Beadle - hours after the Sheffield Wednesday star took a snap with Hinshelwood, beer bottle in hand. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Hinshelwood also took a snap with finalist goalscorer Elliott, who called him a "legend". Elliott posed for several photos including one in a hotel, trophy in hand and cycling-style sunglasses covering his face. The sunnies featured in another pic Elliott took with his Morton also indulged in some plane beers as Bournemouth's Alex Scott nicknamed him 'Tyler De Bruyne'. Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS While The celebrations were rather short lived however as the squad boarded a 3:30am flight back to the UK.
