Antonetti : « Auxerre is an example to follow»

Since June, Frédéric Antonetti likes to repeat it whenever given the chance, his team is « at the beginning of a learning curve ». The squad is reduced, young, and most of Lacombe’s key players have left the club (Hansson, Bocanegra, Cheyrou, Pagis or Briand). Before the game in Auxerre this Sunday, the manager hasn’t missed the occasion to remind everyone how important it is to work on long term in football.

Unchanged squad

« The difference between them and us is that they are in the fourth year of their cycle, the manager explains. On the first year, when Jean Fernandez arrived, they played to avoid relegation, and they did again on the second year. Then after two years, they started to get results. They managed it because they did not lose players and always improved. Since four years, the squad remains nearly the same. They play as a team and it works well. They managed a superb league season last year and finished in third place, they are an example to follow.”

Stade Rennes, this year, may be second with 20 points, but they are still to reach their full potential. It will take a bit more time before the youngsters blend and improve within, “and it’s in purpose, one of the smallest squads in France”, according to Antonetti. The aim is to “give the young players a chance”.

Time, instead of money

Auxerre has got another advantage, which the Breton club doesn’t seem to have: « They don’t lose their players, because they accept to pay big wages. It’s not something we talk about very often, but they have five or six players that could not fit in our payroll, such as Pedretti, Coulibaly or Jelen. » When a journalist tells him that Benoît Pedretti earns 220 000 euros a month, he smiles : “Well, he would not have a chance to play with us, absolutely no chance.”

And when one of the team’s sectors, because of a reduced rotation, is “lacking balance”, as the attack does at this moment, the Stade Rennais looks for “A player for the future, or an experienced player having issues at his club and able to help a team like ours”, the manager explains. He confirms however, that two forwards will be recruited during the winter transfer window: “this is what Pierre (Ed.: Dréossi) and the president said during the last meetings.” And he adds: “We can’t hire high-profile strikers aged 23 to 27, since they prefer to play for bigger, richer clubs.”

The opening of a new cycle is often results from the departure of players eager to discover a higher level, and earn more money. Stade Rennes is at the beginning of a cycle because of the lack of funds invested in the club. Without budgets like Manchester City’s or even Marseille’s, there is only one way to go in modern football: like Auxerre, bet on the continuity.

Nicolas Auffray - Le Mensuel de Rennes

- Photo : www.rennes.lemensuel.com