Southampton FC will get their Jurgen Klopp wish if managerial news comes to fruition | OneFootball

Southampton FC will get a Jurgen Klopp style manager if managerial news comes to fruition

Southampton are looking to recruit a manager who will bring high-intensity, energetic football. According to Saints' Group Technical Director Johannes Spors, their ideal manager would have more in common with Jürgen Klopp than Pep Guardiola. If Will Still is appointed to the role, as is being widely reported, they may just have found their 'Klopp'.

Recruited in February, Johannes Spors' remit at Southampton FC involves having oversight of recruitment and development at the club. He comes into the role following a disastrous season in the Premier League. The Saints were relegated on April 6th with seven games of the campaign still remaining.

Spors has been hitting the ground running

The former RB Leipzig and Hamburg football executive has hit the ground running, overhauling scouting, recruitment and analytical processes. He's also worked on developing the right communication structure and bringing new expertise to the club.

"[We’ve] worked a lot on scouting and recruitment processes, on analytical processes, on the right communication structure that we have. Bringing people together but also bringing new expertise into the club," Spors told TNT Sports.

Pressed about the type of manager he would like to bring in to St Mary's, Spors' was unequivocal about the direction he would like to go in.

"If you take those great examples, I think it will be more the Klopp direction. More the high intensity, full of energy, kind of football."

Still sets tongues wagging

Still set tongues wagging on Sunday when he revealed that he would be leaving Lens and returning to the UK after a single season with the French club. As per The Independent, Southampton have been in "advanced talks" with the Englishman. Still is returning to the UK for well-documented personal reasons, meaning the remainder of his three-year contract will need to be sorted out.

Still is a little-known quantity among the Saints fans who have had little to be excited about this season. Under Russell Martin, they played a possession style of football that lacked urgency going forward. They were unable to create enough chances in the Premier League and were caught in possession close to their own goal far too often.

Martin refused to change, which ultimately led to his demise. The Croatian, Ivan Juric was brought in to try and turn things around. What followed was dour, predictable and no less effective than what had come before.

A direct and dynamic approach - Will Still is perfect

Still has a different approach to both of these. His style is direct and dynamic. He prioritises cutting off the central passing lanes and aims to force the opposition into wide areas.

Like Klopp, Still demands high energy and aggression, particularly in the central areas where his sides are coached to win the ball back and counter-attack. At Stade de Reims, his side ranked second for through balls and direct attacks. They attacked quickly at an average speed of 2.06 metres per second (ranking fifth in the division).

Still is a popular manager

Still is a popular manager with supporters and players alike. Fans appreciate his passion and commitment. Like Klopp at Anfield, Still will need to get the Saints fans onside pretty quickly. They have high expectations of a swift return to the Premier League at St Marys.

The popular myth is that Still is wedded to a 4-3-3 direct style. This couldn't be further from the truth. He employed no fewer than nine different formations last season and sets his teams up differently depending on opposition analysis and player availability.

Indeed, the most encouraging aspect of Still's coaching style is his willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and in-game situations. This will be music to the ears of Saints fans who have endured Martin's stubbornness, Juric's rigidity, and Simon Rusk's inability to do anything else but stick 10 men behind the ball and hang on for dear life!

A solid reputation in Ligue One

Although the Englishman has not managed in England, he has built a solid reputation in the French league. In three seasons, he finished eleventh and ninth with Stade de Reims, and seventh with Lens. To put that into context, Stade Reims could only manage sixteenth this season and will need to win a play-off to stay in Ligue One.

In Southampton, it feels that any appointment could be divisive. Southampton's owners, Sport Republic, are running out of credit with the fans and the pressure is on to get this appointment right. Bringing in a young manager who likes to play direct and dynamic 'Klopp football' can only be a positive step in the right direction.