Players & Staff

Although Laszlo Bölöni has accomplished most of his career as a player in Romania (he even won a Champion’s league with Steaua Bucharest), it is in France that he spent most of his coach career (first for Nancy, then for Stade Rennais). Before joining the “Red & Blacks”, he was in charge of the Romanian national team (2000). One year later, he became the head coach of Sporting Portugal with which he was champion and winner of the national cup in the same year (2002). As the head coach for Rennes, Laszlo Bölöni has led the club to a UEFA cup qualification with a fourth place in the French League 1 (2004-2005).

Former player for AS Vitré, Landry Chauvin has been the coach for Stade Rennais reserve team for a long period of time. He had the best players of Rennes’ academy under his command, loads of them becoming professional later. Appointed assistant-coach of the professional team in June 2007, he has chosen to leave the club in December the same year, after the appointment of Guy Lacombe as the head coach of the first team.

After doing his first professional steps in the era of Christian Gourcuff, the Paimpolais became quickly a key player in Rennes’ midfield. U23 French International player and symbol of Brittany identity for the club, Étienne Didot grew to be an essential player in the squad, becoming the team captain after Olivier Monterrubio’s transfer to Lens. After rumours of transfer during the 2007 summer, Étienne Didot finally prolonged his contract by two more years. The Costarmoricain had to bear a difficult 2007-2008 season, with multiple injuries and the lack of confidence of Guy Lacombe in him who regularly made him play with the reserve team at the end of the season. After spending most of his career with Rennes, he finally left the club to play for Toulouse in June 2008.

Born in Guyana, Bernard Lama turned professional in Lille. A Very agile goalkeeper, he took his time before standing out with the professionals, but he finally came to light with Paris Saint-Germain. He then becomes the goalkeeper of “Les Bleus” and won many titles with the national team, especially the titles of World and European champion. In summer 2000, as he was nearing the end of his career, he was recruited by Stade Rennes, where he was reunited with his former team mate Paul Le Guen, now the coach of the Breton team. In the Rennes’ goal, he immediately brought all his experience, but the content of the season was disturbed by off-pitch issues. Lama was in conflict with Rennes’ management when they decided to dismiss Le Guen. Lama logically left the club at the end of his contract, in summer 2001 and retired from the pitches. Since, the former goalkeeper has remained in the footballing world. In 2006, he was named as the national coach of Kenya for a very short period.

An Argentinian defender, Gabriel Loeschbor started his career with Rosario Central in 1997. After a short period with the famous Racing where he wins the opening tournament of the Argentinian championship, he was recruited by Stade Rennais in 2002 and travelled to Europe. His time in brittany would prove catastrophic. Loeschbor appeared extremely slow during his first games. During the fourth game, on july 24th 2002 against Marseille he was sent off in what would be his last game with the first team. Loeschbor remained on the substitute bench or with the reserve squad for the rest of the season. Transferred to Murcia one year later, he didn't find success there either, he finally returned to Argentina after a short time in the mexican league.

Trained at Olympique lyonnais, Cédric Bardon discovered Division 1 there at 18. He gradually became a regular player in the first squad but never proved a great striker. In 1998 he joined Stade Rennais where he remained for three seasons. He managed two correct seasons initially, but suffered of the comparison with the outstanding Shabani Nonda, whom he regularly supported in attack. He spent most of the 2000-2001 season on the substitute's bench, after which he left the club and continued his career in Guingamp and in Le Havre, then abroad. Bardon discovered the Champion's League with the Levski Sofia and Anorthosis Famagusta. In june 2010 he cameback in France with Fréjus (National), where he eventually ended his career a year later.

Laurent Pokou is one of the best, maybe even the best player who ever played for Stade Rennes. He started his career in his country, Ivory Coast, with ASEC Abidjan and then USFRAN Bouaké. Back to ASEC, he built up a national reputation by winning many titles, and an international reputation with the “Elephants”. The Best scorer of the 1968 and 1970 ACNs, he scored fourteen goals during these two editions, a record that stood for nearly forty years. In 1972, he took part to a « Mini World Cup » in Brazil, where he was showered with praise by Pelé. Logically courted by prestigious French clubs, Pokou left Ivory Coast in December 1973, only. Already 27 years old, he signed with Stade Rennes, thanks to an intervention of François Pinault and his network of acquaintances. The Breton public immediately fell in love with this disconcerting striker, capable of improbable exploits. The team revived thanks to this reinforcement: moribund in D1 until then, Rennes avoided relegation a first time. However, despite Pokou’s contribution (15 goals in 1974-1975), Rennes couldn’t avoid the drop to D2 next year. Encouraged to leave Rennes by the Ivorian press, Laurent Pokou finally decided to stay. The beginning of his season was astonishing, with seventeen goals scored in eleven matches. Unfortunately, during a game at Châteauroux, his season was stopped prematurely, because of a major knee injury. Pokou would not play again for seventeen months. Victim of serious financial troubles, and once again relegated in 1977, Stade Rennes had to let go its Ivorian pearl. Pokou was transferred to Nancy, where he played alongside a young Michel Platini. The forward would never achieve to play at his best, because of a virus. In September 1978, he decided to come back to Brittany, in the « club of his life », Stade Rennes. This come back only lasted few months, unfortunately. At the end of December 1978, he shoved a referee during a French Cup match at Saint-Pol-de-Léon, and received a two-year ban (a sentence reduced to six months after appeal). Sickened, he came back to Ivory Coast, where he ended his career with ASEC Abidjan. He then started a short coaching career, invested on textile industry, and then managed a few clubs. He then became part of the Ivorian federation and an ambassador for the FIFA.

François Omam-Biyik is considered as one the best Cameroonian football players ever. After his professional start with Canon de Yaoundé, he came to France and Stade Lavallois in 1987. He managed three good seasons there, before realising an outstanding 1990 World Cup, where he scored the first goal against Argentina. Recruited by Stade Rennes before the competition, he made an excellent start by scoring the two victorious goals against PSG, including a lovely header (2-1). Excellent in the air, he carried on the tradition of great African strikers in Rennes, initiated, among others, by Laurent Pokou. In a Rennes’ team in difficult position, he realized an excellent 1990-1991 season, with 14 goals, mainly scored at home. His career continued in Cannes, briefly in Marseille, and mainly at RC Lens, where he stayed for three years. After an experience in Mexico, he briefly played in Italy and ended his career in Châteauroux. Taking responsibilities at the Cameroonian federation, he became the assistant to the national coach in August 2010.

Fervently courted by the Stade Rennais, Mevlüt Erding signed for Rennes in January 2012, closing months of an interminable saga. Born in Jura from a Turkish family, he joined the FC Sochaux Academy at thirteen. With the club from Franché-Comte, he made his Ligue 1 debut at the age of eighteen and scored his first goal five minutes after coming off the bench. In 2007-2008, he revealed himself completely, becoming a regular starter and scoring eleven goals in the league. After a second season at the same level, he became a target for the biggest teams in France and eventually signed in Paris. His debuts were encouraging, with fifteen goals in his first season, but the next seasons would not be as satisfying. The arrival of Qatari investors to the club completed his fall into disgrace. After spending the end of 2011 on the bench, Erding joined the Stade Rennais with the intention to re-launch his career.

Stéphane Grégoire is an atypical player. After years playing for Thouars, his place of birth, he became professional at 29 when he signed for Stade Rennais. Unexpectedly, the midfielder became an important part in both the starting elevens of Guy David, and Paul Le Guen the following season. Unmovable for three seasons, and having become the captain of Stade Rennais, his playing time was reduced during his last two seasons with Rennes. In 2002, he left the club to spend another two years in Ligue 1 with Ajaccio and then three years in Ligue 2 with Dijon. In 2007, aged 39, he started his reconversion as a manager by taking the reins at Orléans, in CFA.