Sunderland managerial target Will Still has insisted that he is ready to work in the Championship for an ambitious club who are prepared to do things in the right way.
The Black Cats held talks with Still in December but baulked at the compensation they would have had to pay to Reims to get him.
The 31-year-old has been in charge of Reims since 2022 and is considered a bright young coaching prospect in European football.
Still is said to be the frontrunner to become the Sunderland manager in the summer as the club step up their efforts to bring in a permanent replacement for Michael Beale, who was sacked on Monday.
The young coach’s dream is to manage in the Premier League but Still insisted that he is prepared to work in the Championship for an ambitious club.
He conceded that he himself is a bit odd and would only work in the second tier of English football if he finds the right kind of environment to do his job.
“I would work for a Championship team without a problem”, he told The Athletic.
“What I’ve now understood, I’ve now realised, is how important people are.
“And how important finding the right place to be is going to be for my career.
“And people who understand the way I work, because I’m a bit different. I’m a bit odd sometimes.
“If something’s s**t, I want someone to tell me it’s s**t.
“But if there’s a Championship club that’s ambitious, that wants to work in the right way and be open and honest about things, and really try and push to get somewhere, then I would love to do that.”
It remains to be seen whether Still shows a willingness to accept an offer from Sunderland if they move for him again at the end of the season.
