Reims boss Will Still has an obsession with Football Manager, has ‘stars in his eyes’ over Lionel Messi, admires Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson and loves West Ham

Will Still is a name few would have heard of until recent weeks.

The 30-year-old had only held one managerial post before October, but Reims are now competing with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar as they are on a 13-game unbeaten streak in Ligue 1.

His side held French champions Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw last weekend before coming back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 last time out against Lorient, with the player on loan from Arsenal Folarin Balogun who scored a hat-trick.

After starting as an interim manager, Still’s success was rewarded with a contract until the end of the season, making him the youngest manager in Europe.

But his constant presence on the touchline has caused a problem for Reims, with the club being fined £22,000 every time he plays with him as he does not yet have a UEFA Pro licence.

However, that doesn’t seem to have deterred the French side from keeping him and with positive results, it looks like taking the fine is a worthy sacrifice.

Still’s job in Reims was only his second permanent managerial position and he was quickly building a name for himself.

Born in Belgium to English parents, he grew up in the French-speaking province of Walloon Brabant, which led him to be fluent in both languages ​​- a skill that has fans amazed after seeing videos posted on social media.

I’ve only known 30-year-old Reims boss Will Still 24 hours and I’m already obsessed with his background.

The man is not only fluent in English and French, he does so with a native accent on both fronts. pic.twitter.com/TmCFOr3gl3

— HLTCO (@HLTCO) January 31, 2023

After playing football at a low level in Belgium, Still moved to England and started playing Football Manager and this began his transition into coaching.

He told talkSPORT Drive: “I went to university in England and studied a football coaching degree and that’s when I got the buzz.

“Football Manager was part of my daily life. Obviously, I spent hours playing it because almost everyone did.

“You smash the spacebar until about 3am until you realize it’s 3am and you say ‘Okay, I have to go to bed!’

“It’s just the kid I was and the generation I come from. Football Manager was just part of what we do and what we did.

Still’s first coaching role then came in 2011, taking up an assistant manager position at Preston North End academy as part of his course.

After a year learning the trade, he returned to Belgium and served as assistant manager for many different clubs before finally arriving in Reims last year.

Just months into the season, manager Oscar Garcia was sacked and Still was asked to take charge until the World Cup before the situation was reassessed.

Still’s first game as caretaker boss came against PSG and his side held on to a 0-0 draw in a result that turned things around for the club.

After two positive results against the starred French champions, he cannot believe the position in which he finds himself.

“It’s hard to put into words,” he told talkSPORT. “Ridiculous I think.

“If you had told me five or six years ago that I would be here trying to tell my defenders how to defend against Messi, Mbappe and Neymar, I would probably have said punch me in the face! That sounds completely stupid !

“The little boy that was in me was standing right there with stars in his eyes.”

He was made permanent manager after his initial six-game trial period, unbeaten after Reims won just one game in their last nine.

And he still hasn’t lost a single match since taking office.

If he can maintain that streak, he could be on his way to emulating many of football’s biggest names.

When asked who he looks up to, Still told talkSPORT: “All of the current generation, Eddie Howe, [Jurgen] Klopp, Pep [Guardiola] and [Jose] Mourinho a few years ago.

“What has struck me most over the past two years is the quality of Sir Alex [Ferguson] was when he was at United. He has always known how to renew himself and renew the cycles of players and teams.

“I think staying his time at United is completely stupid, so I’m watching him because I want to know how he stayed so on top of everything.”

To follow Sir Alex’s path, he would have to return to England for the first time since his coaching studies.

And a future move to the Premier League is something he hasn’t ruled out with still a ‘big West Ham fan’.

He told talkSPORT: “Of course I do. [want to manage in the Premier League].

“I’m only 30 and I think I have enough time ahead of me. But going home, because I feel like going home would be one of my goals for the next few years.

Asked which team he would prefer to join, he revealed: “West Ham. I’ve always been a huge West Ham fan.

Still is now one of the most talked about managers in the world and many are fascinated by his story.

With his rapidly growing stock, clubs across Europe will be keeping tabs on his progress and perhaps one day he could make a return to England in the Premier League.