Dréossi : “We will stick to our policy, whatever people say”

"Everyone is a bit harsh with Stade Rennes.” Immediately, the “Rouge et Noir”’s General manager show his solidarity to Frédéric Antonetti, following his recent declaration to the media (read previously). “You have to be a bit more indulgent with this very young squad. The results are there. It’s a squad that fights with its weapons, its soul, its qualities and its youth.”

"Whatever the style", which hasn’t always been there, he recognise, "Stade Rennes is maybe realising its best season since it was created.” One match day before the winter break, Rennes is indeed “still in with a chance to be crowned autumn champion” according to Dréossi, "something that has never happened before, might never happen again.” On the way Stade Rennes is considered in the media, he finishes: “My disappointment is strong, I’ll draw conclusions from it at the right time.”

"Stade Rennes isn’t a big club »

Is François Pinault’s club not paying the expectations linked to a status of major club, which Rennes is - maybe - in the verge of becoming? “Stade Rennes is not becoming a major club, Dréossi replies. The Stade Rennais is a very good first division club with the 6th, 7th or 8th budget” according to the sources. Rennes “isn’t one of the big clubs in terms of economics or in terms of history. It’s a club with an interesting future, a strategy, a policy, which is rare in football nowadays.”

«We set it up [that policy] with the whole team. We are at the beginning of the process. Despite being at the beginning, we have interesting results. We have ups and downs, but not when it comes to results. There is a very interesting atmosphere at the club. By all means, it’s a real shame that many people - even in and around Rennes - won’t share this dynamic installed at the club. »

"A policy we will stick to"

According to Pierre Dréossi, Stade Rennes’ good performances are linked to a « more serene, reduced, younger squad… Which means they (Ed.:the players fight for every inch of ground with their means, which are not the means of Lyon, Marseille or the PSG."

Looking back at the difficult game against Valenciennes and the last minute victory, he explains that now, “we win that type of games because we are more solid, because we worked a lot on the team’s stability.”

"We realise that a team’s stability can bring points. It will allow us to give our youngsters some playing time.” Indeed, “with ten points less we would think about bringing in one or two additional players to try and improve the squad.” At the moment, with a comfortable points base, Stade Rennes “gives its youngsters some experience. It’s a policy we will stick to, whatever people say outside the club. ”

"Disappointed with what is said, happy with what happens"

"We are working on a real project, a real club policy, this is very rare in football. At the moment, the football professionals say: +Rennes, they are doing something interesting+. I don’t think this feeling his shared by many” in the world of football commentators.

"I’m disappointed with what is said, but happy with what happens. We did not hope that much in term of results, in terms of players that would make it. There was a lot of uncertainty about all the young players: Kana-Biyik, Souprayen, Theophile-Catherine, Camara, Jebbour, Mandjeck... There are some great satisfactions and no real mistakes. On top of that, we have got results and in terms of numbers, we are still on for something interesting.”

"Players who will grow in Rennes"

"The recruitment will follow the same logic. There is no way we would recruit a player that doesn’t fit in our logic.” Pierre Dréossi intends to sign « players who will grow at Stade Rennes. If a player is already of the expected calibre, it means Stade Rennes can’t afford him. We will do no exceptions. These exceptions are rarely a success at the Stade Rennais. We will recruit a player to fit in this team, so he maybe doesn’t bring a plus to the team, but arrives to be accessory in the project of this squad.”

Questioned on the recruitment of a striker to increase the team’s efficiency in front of the goal, the Stade Rennes sportive director replies that it is “very hard to find a +class player+.”
At the moment, players that could be considered as such are not "easily interested with the sportive and economical project at the Stade Rennais. This is all the difficulty, it has to be admitted. I repeat it, we won’t do any exception, so we will need to find the player that will turn into a class player” at Stade Rennes: “As Frei or Källström did. Who knew them before they arrived at Stade Rennes?”

At least two recruits, no one allowed to leave

Still talking about the recruitment, Dréossi confirmed that Stade Rennes “has the will to look within the French championship” as the aim is to recruit a player that will adapt well and quickly: “the ideal scenario would be to recruit a player who is the best striker in the league, but this is not the type of player that will arrive.”

A possible recruitment of Kévin Gameiro ? “It would be interesting to know if the economical and sportive project of the club would interest the player.” But Pierre Dréossi is « unsure » this would be the Lorient man’s case. By all means, he makes sure to remind: “there will be no player allowed to leave during the winter transfer market, whatever the propositions received. Our squad is too restricted.” However, the Stade Rennais “will be strengthened with at least two players.”

Finally, questionned about his personal future and his manager’s, Pierre Dréossi explained that he was willing to “continue working with Fredéric Antonetti, naturally”, and therefore to make him extend his contract at the Stade Rennais. As announced previously (read previously), Pierre Dréossi’s future at the club is probably linked to Antonetti’s situation: “yes I will stay, if we are in agreement with the president, yes naturally.”