Scores Rennes en direct
11 March 2011 | à 17h49

Leroy: “This could be a poisoned chalice”

Leroy: “This could be a poisoned chalice”

Is Stade Rennais FC progressing too quickly? This is what Jérôme Leroy seems to dread a few hours before being hosts to Olympique Marseille in the league. A patron of the “Rouge et Noir” house, and in charge of mentoring Frédéric Antonetti’s youngsters, the playmaker expressed his views to newspaper L’Équipe about the situation of his club, admitting the “best solution” would be for Rennes to finish… out of the podium places. Explanations: “This isn’t a lack of ambition, I prefer us to finish fourth and in the Europa League rather than in the Champions League and have a nightmare the following season”.

Used to such media declarations, as at the beginning of the season when he declared that Yann M’Vila should go abroad in order to avoid slowing down in his progression, Leroy admits however, that he wouldn’t mind the club finishing in the top 3. But he announces, that “it could be a poisoned chalice”, for Pinault’s club as much as for the young players at Stade Rennes: “I could finish my career on a title, but so could twenty years old youngsters…” he says. Used sparsely by Antonetti this season, the former Paris player affirms he still “wants to play”, while refusing to discuss his contract situation. With a contract expiring in June, Leroy doesn’t want to discuss a possible extension before the term of this 2010-2011 season. Would a Champions League qualification convince him to continue in Rennes?