“Be competitive and annoy as many people as possible”

After having mentioned the reasons which pushed him to join RC Lens rather than going to England, Will Still discussed his approach to next seasonboth on a tactical level, as well as in terms of his management of the workforce or even his overall approach. Selected excerpts.

An ambition still present at RC Lens

“I was promised that I could be as competitive as possible, whether in Ligue 1 or in Europe. We know that there are certain sales to be made, a balance to find, as Pierre (Dréossi) said. But we are going to remain faithful to the values of the club, to what RC Lens has been for several years, namely to be competitive and annoy as many people as possible, as many teams as possible in front of us. »

Evolution Will Still and not a revolution

“The squad has been built for several years to play like that (in 343). I’m not going to come in overnight and change everything. There is a very solid foundation, principles in place. I would be stupid to want to change everything. There may be a slightly different way of pressing or hosting, but don’t expect the club’s identity to be lost. It’s going to stay true to that. »

There is no headache, rather a serenity in the project and in the planning in everything we do.
Will Still, entraîneur du RC Lens.

A crucial start to the season?

“The team is already very competitive at the moment, finally when all the internationals are back. I don’t have any concerns about that. If there are departures, they will be filled. The arrivals will strengthen the workforce already in place. There is the start of Ligue 1 and qualification for the European Cup which are important, we know that. Now, there is no headache, rather a serenity in the project and in the planning in everything we do. »

A group of 22 players hoped for

“There will be a group of 22-23 players, it will depend on the transfer window. Over a season, we have to find the right balance between a complete and competitive group, without it being a carnival in training. We have to remain logical in our choices and I think everyone is on the same wavelength on this subject. There will be a solid group and big enough to manage all the matches we face.”