Southampton manager Will Still says his side are ready to “look upwards” and embrace the challenge as the Saints prepare to face arch-rivals Portsmouth in Sunday’s eagerly-awaited South Coast derby. Meeting the press for the first time since the close of the transfer window, Still brushed aside any doubts about his squad’s readiness, declaring: “It’s a big one, but it’s a good one.”
Still, who oversaw a raft of summer arrivals, was in bullish mood as he rattled off the names of new faces—Kasper, Tom, Finn, Eli, George, Lange, and deadline-day addition Leo Genza—insisting the club had recruited not just talent, but “good people.”
“We didn’t want just anyone walking through the door,” he said. “We’re a big club; there’s competition for places, there’s a lot of quality and a lot of good players. That’s what we wanted. It should only help us look upwards, look forwards, and be hyper-competitive—whether that’s with other teams or internally. We have to be demanding.”
Asked if he’d wanted to add another striker, Still was unequivocal: “No, I didn’t want another striker. Damien’s adapting—he’s getting to grips with who we are, the league, the culture, the bigger picture. We’ve got Cam, Roscoe, Arma… they’re proven at this level. Hopefully, the quality we’ve brought in will help turn positive xG into actual goals and not just staff stats.”
He acknowledged that some incoming players, like Damien, have needed time to settle—particularly after a bright start at Espanyol—but insisted expectations must be realistic. “It takes time to adapt. The English game is different to anywhere else. It’s the same for the collective. Just because we brought in quality doesn’t mean we’ll roll over teams. We’ve got to put in a shift and it’s got to hurt. Only when it starts hurting do you know you’re going in the right direction.”
Still was candid about the scale of change at St Mary’s this summer: “There’s 11, 12 newcomers, 13, 14 players out the door—it’s a big turnover, probably needed. But we’re not going to click our fingers and turn into something magical. We’ve got to work for it.”
On the fitness front, only Welly (ankle) is set to miss Sunday, while Damien will return from international duty with little time to spare before the derby. “But apart from that, everyone’s sort of been drip-fed back into training. So, no, it’s good.”
Attention inevitably turned to Portsmouth and the job done by John Mousinho across the South Coast. Still was quick to praise his opposite number: “He’s done an incredibly good job. He’s a really interesting person, a really interesting manager. His team’s hyper-efficient, well-structured, organised. They’ll come here hyper-aggressive, really up for it. But away from the occasion, they’re a good footballing side.”
As for preparing his own squad for the white-hot intensity of a derby, Still explained the club has done its bit to impress the occasion upon the players. “We’ve set things up so the players understand what it means—ex-players coming in, people painting a picture of what this is, what it means to everyone. For newcomers, it’s important. It means more, to the club, the supporters, and it’s got to mean more to us as a team. We can’t just accept conceding goals or drawing games. We want to stop conceding poor, rubbishy goals.”
But how does he hope to strike the balance between passion and discipline? “It’s vital. There’s no point charging in and getting two sent off in the first ten minutes. We’re fully aware of the discipline needed. Whoever deals with that best will probably win.”
Asked if he’s happy with Saints’ tag as favourites, Still didn’t flinch. “We’re at home. We’re a big football club—probably favourites against a lot of teams in the league. That’s just where we’re at.”
Sunday’s derby promises all the heat and drama of one of English football’s most storied rivalries. Still’s message is clear: Southampton will be ready, and they know exactly what’s at stake.
