Southampton search for Will Still replacement - Ralph Hassenhuttl and Michael Carrick named in debate | OneFootball

FLW's Southampton fan pundit has listed what he wants in his new manager

The Will Still experiment failed massively at Southampton, as the rot from last year is yet to be stopped, and the Saints are currently battling against a second successive relegation.

The 33-year-old was sacked after just five months in charge, with the club sitting 21st in the Championship with just two wins all season, and none in their last five.

Still arrived at St Mary's with plenty of promise as a young, progressive coach looking to play an attractive, attacking style, and whilst Southampton had the most possession in the Championship under him and had created the second-most xG in the division, too, the results weren't there.

Now, Sport Republic have a decision to make. Stick with their data-driven approach and appoint someone who will excel in the underlying numbers, or go for someone who is going to grind out results and stop the club from slipping even further down the leagues.

Martin Sanders, FLW's Southampton fan pundit, has given his ultimatum on what he requires from the next Saints boss.

Southampton fan pundit outlines his expectations for the next Saints manager

Speaking to Football League World, Sanders didn't have a first-choice option for who should take over from Will Still, but did state what he wants from the new boss: Championship experience and a commanding nature.

"My number one choice has to have Championship experience," Sanders said.

"A lot of people are saying Michael Carrick, and I do like him, but whether he'd be too young a manager again...but then he would gain respect, and whatever happens, we need a manager who is going to gain that respect.

"That's the most important thing — we need a manager who has experience and knows the division."

Will Still was a relative unknown in England, rising in the managerial ranks as a young head coach in France. Sanders believes that the club can't afford to take another risk on a promising manager and instead should be bringing in someone who everyone knows will do the job.

"You cannot make an appointment that might work," he continued. "It has to be someone who can command respect and organise the team. There are some big egos in that dressing room, and they need sorting out.

"I'm finding it really hard to find an outright favourite. I know a lot of people are saying Hasenhuttl, but I'm not sure about Ralph, and I'm not sure who my number one is, either.

"But for me, they have to have experience and leadership first and foremost."

Southampton need to get their next managerial appointment right

With how competitive the bottom end of the Championship is turning out to be this season, Southampton must bring in someone who will steer them out of trouble, as it's becoming more and more apparent that no team has a divine right to be in this league.

The Saints are currently hovering above the bottom three, but below them are two sides in Sheffield United and Norwich City, who are underperforming by their standards too, and Southampton need to make sure that they can hit some form before they do.

Having seen Luton Town suffer back-to-back relegations the two seasons prior, the higher-ups at Southampton will be wary of the same possibly happening to them, and they'll know that this decision is incredibly important.

There's plenty of top-end Championship quality in that side; it's just about bringing in someone who can get the best out of them in what is an incredibly tough league to manage in.