L

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.

A simple amateur player, Michel Le Milinaire made a name for himself as a coach. At the head of Stade Lavallois during almost 25 years, he led the club from Division 2 to the UEFA Cup. With him, the “Tangos” had their best years, even if the last ones were played back in D2. In October 1992, he was finally pushed towards the exit and briefly held a position of technical director. A few months later, Stade Rennes invited him to replace Didier Nothaux. Le Milinaire brought his science of football to the club, won promotion to D1 and stabilised the club in the first division. Having gone over the age limit, he had to quit his functions as coach of the first team in 1996, following the Unecatef’s decision to refuse giving him an exemption. He nevertheless stayed in the club as an adviser for Yves Colleu for the 1996-1997 season. Since, elected the "coach of the century” by Stade Lavallois, he went back to this club, taking over directorship of the recruitment cell.

Summer 2000. Blinded by its dreams of glory, Stade Rennes gambled over 20 million euros on a young Brazilian forward, portrayed as the new Ronaldo, and blew up its own record for recruitment. This player was Severino Lucas, who then played for Atletico Paranaense and theU21 Brazil selection. Just arrived, Lucas quickly appeared as a disappointment and had a lot of difficulties to assume his heavy price tag. He had the level of a decent Division 1 player, but certainly not the ability to be the expected future star. After having scored 11 goals in two years, he was loaned during the whole 2003-2003 season, before coming back for a short while. In October 2003, Lucas was transferred to Japan, where he got his form back and won many titles, including the Asian championship. Back to Brazil in January 2011, he retired a few months later.

Born in the Finistère, Paul Le Guen started his professional career with Brest. After several seasons there, he moved to Nantes, and then two years later to Paris Saint-Germain, where he stayed for the rest of his playing career, and where he built up nice achievements. In 1998, the midfielder retired and immediately became coach of the ambitious Stade Rennais, freshly bought by François Pinault. His first season was very good and the club qualified to the Intertoto Cup, in which Rennes faced the Juventus of Zinedine Zidane. The next years were more difficult, especially in 2000, where Rennes avoided the drop to second division on the last match only. In conflict with his management, Le Guen left the club after three years spent in Rennes. He then became the coach of Olympique Lyonnais, where he won three titles of France champion. After six difficult months at the head of Glasgow Rangers, he came back to Paris Saint-Germain, where his fortunes were quite mixed. He then spent one year at the head of the Cameroon national team, which completely failed its 2010 World Cup. After one year of unemployment, he was appointed as the national coach of Oman in June 2011.

Trained at the Stade Rennais, Sébastien Le Toux won the Gambardella Cup in 2003. Not retained by Stade Rennais a year later, he becomes professional at FC Lorient. In the Morbihan, he only plays about ten Ligue 2 matches in two years, and was eventually, once again, let go by his club. Unemployed during several months, he decided to exile to the United States and signed a contract to play in the USL (The American second division) with the Seattle Sounders. Trained as a defender, he was then repositioned as an attacking midfielder, or even as a supporting striker. A good decision for Seattle, since Le Toux went on to score countless goals and reveal himself as one of the best players in the league. At the end of 2008, the Sounders were involved in the creation of the new league (MLS, first tier of American football). He remained at the club for one more year before being transferred to Philadelphia Union in November 2009.

Arrived very young at Stade Rennes, Saliou Lassissi is trained in Rennes’ academy before playing with A team in 1996. This young Ivorian becomes then the club’s revelation during 1996-1997 season, thanks to big performances. Unfortunately, he confirms feebly his level during 1997-1998 season and is transferred to Parma. The Italian club, which imagines him as a “new Thuram”, doesn’t trust him immediately and loans him to Sampdoria and then to Fiorentina. There, Lassissi confirms his potential and help the “Fio” squad to win the Italian Cup in 2001. Recruited by AS Roma, he will never play within the giallorossi jersey: victim of a terrible tibia-fibula fracture, he spends three years in the infirmary before being released at the end of his contract in 2004. After one unemployment year, Nancy attempts to boost his career, but this experience in Lorraine is a failure. Lassissi returns then in Ivory Coast, and then tries his luck once again in Europe: first in Switzerland and then with Sannois-Saint-Gratien in National division. With no convincing results.

Trained at the AS Monaco academy, Patrice Luzi had a rather original career. He signed for Liverpool, aged 22, having played only one League 1 game, but would not know a better fortune than with England, with one Premier League game in three years. He then tried his luck in Belgium and had two good seasons under the colours of Mouscron and Charleroi. In June 2007, he was recruited by the Stade Rennais to act as substitute to Simon Pouplin. Soon, he profited of Pouplin’s poor form and injuries to make his way as first goalkeeper. However, the signing of Nicolas Douchez and the emergence of Cheick N’Diaye and Abdoulaye Diallo saw him sitting on the bench, or even with the Reserve Team. During the 2009-2010 season, he was only the fourth choice in the Rennes goalkeepers hierarchy. In June 2010, he left the club at the end of his contract.

A very physical and technically skilled attacking midfielder, Jérôme Leroy had a travel-rich football career. From Paris to Sochaux, calling at Guingamp, Lens or Jerusalem, he had a strong career, marked by a few gut reactions which gave him the image of a temperamental player, sometimes criticized for his instability. After having terminated his contract with Sochaux, despite having realised a very good season crowned with a Coupe de France success, Jérôme Leroy signed in Rennes for the next stages of his career.A successful choice for the Stade Rennais, and for the player who realised a magnificent first season. His following two years with the club, however, were a bit less convincing, with a lesser influence and offensive intake.

A forward born in Franche-Comté, Yoann Lasimant joined Rennes’ Academy rather late, aged nearly 17 years. He took profit of his first two seasons to make his way as a first choice in attack, both in the U18 and CFA squad. A winner in the 2008 Gambardella Cup, he was called in the professional squad by Guy Lacombe for the first time, for a game in Nancy. At the end of the 2008-2009 season, he signed his first professional contract, and was soon loaned to Sedan, in order to win playing time in Ligue 2. Unable to become a regular in Sedan, Lasimant was later released by the club June 2010.