New additions boost Still's coaching team
Southampton Football Club is pleased to confirm its new-look first-team backroom staff ahead of the club’s pre-season programme.
Men’s First Team Manager Will Still will be joined by Paul Trollope as his Assistant Manager.
The 53-year-old brings a wealth of experience, having made almost 500 appearances in a playing career that included spells with Torquay, Derby, Fulham and Northampton, as well as nine caps for Wales between 1997 and 2003.
Trollope spent five years managing Bristol Rovers, the last club of his playing career, where he won promotion to League One, reached the EFL Trophy final and led Rovers to their first FA Cup quarter-final in 50 years.
He has also held coaching roles at Birmingham, Norwich, Cardiff, who he later managed, Brighton, Nottingham Forest and most recently Luton, where he assisted Rob Edwards through their triumphant play-off campaign and subsequent season in the Premier League. Trollope also worked on the Wales coaching staff when they reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
Paul Trollope celebrates a Wembley victory in the 2007 League Two play-off final as Bristol Rovers manager (Photo: Getty Images)
Adam Lallana, who has now announced his retirement from playing, will continue as First Team Coach alongside Carl Martin, as the pair remain in their roles from last season.
New to the club is Rubén Martínez, who joins as Goalkeeping Coach. The 48-year-old represented Barcelona’s B team in his playing days and later worked alongside Tito Vilanova as a coach.
Martínez has since held coaching roles at Brighton and Watford, as well as Maccabi Tel Aviv, RB Salzburg, Saint-Étienne, Olympiacos, Celta Vigo and Stade Reims on the continent, all alongside Óscar García, before working with Still for a period at Reims.
Martínez has also enjoyed success with the Spanish FA, helping Spain reach the final of the 2023 European Under-21 Championship and winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024 at the expense of the much-fancied host nation in the final.
As part of these changes, former Interim Manager Simon Rusk has left the club. We would like to place on record our appreciation for the way in which Simon stepped up to lead the First Team at the end of last season, in what were incredibly challenging circumstances.
Goalkeeping Coach Dean Thornton and First Team Tactics & Insights Analyst Ben Parker have also left their roles.
The club would like to thank Simon, Dean and Ben for their service and wish them all the best for the future.
2025/26 Season Tickets for our Men’s First Team are on sale to all supporters now.
With an expanded home fixture list for 2025/26, Season Tickets now offer even greater value, starting from around £20 per match for adults and £4 per match for Under-14s.
