Authenticity and resilience are powerful qualities for success in football management.
Adapting to different cultures and creating a supportive environment are crucial in football.
Perseverance, learning from mistakes, and making difficult decisions are essential for pursuing one's passion in football.
Deep dives
The Journey to Becoming a Manager
The podcast episode explores the journey of Will Still, the youngest manager in any major European football league. Starting as a video analyst and assistant coach, Will had to overcome undervaluation and set high standards for himself.
Adapting to Different Cultures
Will discusses the importance of adapting to different cultures in football and shares the lessons he learned from his experience studying and living in different countries. He emphasizes the need to be patient, understanding, and create an environment where players can be themselves.
Dealing with Rejection and Self-Doubt
Will shares his experiences of being rejected and facing self-doubt throughout his career. He highlights the importance of perseverance, learning from mistakes, and having the courage to make difficult decisions in order to pursue one's passion.
The Genuine Love for the Game
Despite the challenges and criticisms, Will's genuine love for football remains. He recalls the joy of watching, playing, and experiencing the game, emphasizing that the true essence of football is the pure enjoyment and connection it brings.
The Journey to Becoming a Head Coach
Will Stil describes his journey to becoming a head coach, highlighting the various challenges and opportunities he encountered along the way. Starting with an unexpected call from a French club offering him an assistant coach position, he initially faced doubts but embraced the chance to work in a top-five league. He later turned down an opportunity to assist Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht due to a mismatch in working styles. Eventually, he returned to Standard Liege as an assistant coach, managed to assume the head coach position after the previous coach was fired, and experienced the joy of winning games.
Lessons in Ambition and Dealing with Scrutiny
Will Stil emphasizes his ambition and love for the game, having always aspired to work in the Premier League. He acknowledges the challenges and scrutiny that come with being a coach, but he refuses to let negativity affect him. He prioritizes enjoyment, commitment, and open communication in his coaching philosophy. Will also shares his advice for teenagers starting out, encouraging them to pursue their passions despite obstacles. He values his own high-performance environment, aiming for continuous improvement and despising the feeling of losing. While he is uncertain about the future, he remains dedicated to achieving success in the game.
Will's story is a testament to the power of authenticity and resilience in the world of football management.
Will Still is a professional football manager and former player, currently managing Ligue 1 club Stade de Reims. Aged 30, he is the youngest manager in Europe's top five leagues, and first became a manager at age 24. Will shares with Jake and Damian how he deals with outside pressure and how his commitment to honesty, vulnerability, and staying true to himself has been his guiding force. After dropping out of university in Belgium, Will moved to the UK to pursue a Football Coaching degree. Despite the culture shock, the move cemented Will’s commitment to a career in football.
They discuss how his style as a manager has developed since he first started, with vulnerability and honesty always being at the forefront of his work. Will discusses what it was like to turn down a job offer from Vincent Kompany and how a quiet self-confidence is crucial to his work. This is a conversation about passion, commitment and authenticity.
Will's journey reminds us that the road to success becomes much easier when we begin embracing our true self.
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