Scores Rennes en direct
7 August 2011 | à 11h01

Between hope and caution

What are Rennes’ ambitions for the 2011-2012 season? A few hours before the season begins for the “Rouge et Noir”, the answers are contrasted. Beyond the usual cautiousness of the Rennes management, are the declarations of intent of several players an indication of a conquering state of mind?

Between hope and caution

Increased budget

Following the budgetary logic – widely used by the Rennes management in interviews since months – Stade Rennais remains far behind the “big four” [1]. Helped by the European qualification and forced to do so because of the increase of the wage bill [2], the “Rouge et Noir” are going up slightly in the budget hierarchy, closing up on Bordeaux (70M€) who are forced to come back to a more reasonable lifestyle at the beginning of a second season without European qualification, and on Saint-Étienne (52 M€). With « 50 to 52 million euros », according to Pierre Dréossi, Stade Rennais had the opportunity to increase their budget while the other clubs from the “second tier” (Sochaux, Toulouse, Auxerre) remain stable.
However, the team’s official views remain cautious and moderate. “We are an outsider, Dréossi confirms. We will try to catch up on the first teams and get closer to European places ». To do so, the general manager is hoping the young players at the team will be able to achieve a “full season” rather than stall in the home straight, and this with the benefits of a “more complete squad quantitatively and qualitatively”, which would be less exposed to injuries than last season.
The Stade Rennais isn’t alone however, and will have to consider the competition. “Many teams such as Toulouse, Saint-Étienne or even Sochaux have actually strengthened their squad, so the league will probably be more consistent than last season in my opinion », the general manager judges, before reckoning “that the first mission will be to try and take the edge over these teams before trying to compete with the big guns”.

Is the history going to repeat itself perpetually? Did the first year, full of promises, of the famous “cycle” started in summer 2010 not give idea to the Rennes squad and its management with raised expectations? For the players, at least for Romain Danzé, last year’s recipe needs to be used again. “We will use the same words as last season, the full back explains. If one of the big four which are Lille, Marseille, Paris and Lyon is not fulfilling its potential, we will have to be there”.
Obviously, to reach summer 2012 without having obtained, at least, another European qualification would bear a taste of failure. Especially since a remodelling of the squad is already announced, following the scheduled departures of Mangane and M’Vila. Frédéric Antonetti, who has set-up 52 points as a minimal target [3] is already appearing fatalistic. “This is the second year of the cycle, but there won’t be a third since, nowadays, it is very hard to set-up a program over three years”, the manager regrets.

A « surprising and very positive » ending?

First concerned by the foretold end of a cycle, Kader Mangane and Yann M’Vila will be willing to finish their Rennes spell in style. The captain and defensive leader of a club which really launched his career, the Senegal international expresses hopes, which many are not daring discussing anymore: the reaching of that new level, which the club has been so closely approaching season after season. “You have to refuse the fatality”, he claims as if to give a shaking-up to a club on the brink of resignation.
M’Vila, who prepares for his third full season with his training club, declares himself “ambitious”. “We have more experience, the young international explains, as a spokesperson for the other youngsters in the squad. We have one more year in Ligue 1 under our belts, this will serve us to go as high as possible. I believe we are going to make something really great this season”.
Not yet marked by the « fatality » that seems to affect his new club, Julien Féret is also starting his season in this state of mind, mentioning his “desire to reach a new step”. The former Nancy man hopes for a happy ending for the season of his reunion with Rennes. «It will require a lot of exigencies, a lot of qualities, a lot more efforts, but this in order to reach something that could be surprising and very positive », the man from Saint-Brieuc affirms.

So it is with a mixture of hope and cautiousness that Stade Rennes will start their league season, this Sunday in Dijon. A team that will exploit its qualities and its youth in order to once again trouble the established order. “We are not one of the big teams, but we are not too far, Pierre Dréossi judges. We hope that the consistency and stability of the squad will make the difference. With a good start of the season, we could have some ambitions”. A positive beginning which necessarily includes a good result as soon as this evening in Burgundy.

Declarations from : L’Équipe, RTL, L’Équipe TV
Photo : @CindyG_

Footnotes

[1According to L’Équipe, Paris and Lyon have got the biggest budgets, around 150M€, before Marseille, 140M€, and Lille, 80M€.

[2triggered by an augmentation of the number of professional contracts and the contract extensions offered to some key players.

[3The lowest number of points managed by the club since 2004. Last season, the Stade Rennais finished with 56 points. In 2008-2009, best total ever, the club had managed 61.

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