'I told the directors...' - Will Still talks Reims future amid strong Sunderland links and interest

Will Still has once again spoken on the record regarding interested clubs amid reports Sunderland are keen on the head coach.

Still, 31, was a candidate to replace Tony Mowbray at Sunderland in December, before the club named Michael Beale as their new head coach. Mike Dodds has now been named Sunderland’s interim head coach until the end of the season when the club will have more time to assess their options.

Still, who was born in Belgium to English parents, has publicly talked about wanting to manage in the Premier League, or at an ambitious Championship club amid several reports stating that Sunderland remain keen on securing his services.

 “I prefer to be perfectly honest and completely open with everyone because it avoids rumours, it avoids the ‘someone told me that…’, it avoids innuendos that are detestable in the world of football, and I prefer to be transparent," Still recently told the French media via Sports Witness about the links to jobs elsewhere.

“I told the directors here: ‘Yeah, there are clubs that call me, there are clubs that are interested in what we do, because I’m never by myself’. I find that flattering. I think I would be stupid to not find that flattering. If people ask me, I’m not going to start lying, to make the outside world feel that I’m stressed when I’m not. That’s why I said it, especially with that humorous tone.”

Sunderland are currently on a five-game losing streak under Dodds and face Southampton in the Championship at St Mary's on Saturday.