Stade Rennais FC manager Franck Haise had a strong reaction during a press conference on Wednesday. The coach expressed his dissatisfaction with journalists' questions about his use of attacking players, on the eve of the Ligue 1 trip to Angers.
The match, corresponding to the third matchday of the championship, will take place this Saturday, September 12th, at the Stade Raymond-Kopa. According to live-mercato.com, which reported the incident, Haise was questioned about the role of his wingers. He firmly contested the idea that they are used as classic wingers tasked with overlapping and crossing. "On n’a pas la même vision" ("We don't have the same vision"), he told the journalists present.
Why did Haise react so strongly?
The context for this outburst is significant. Stade Rennais approaches this match after a mixed start to the season. The Breton club drew 1-1 at home against RC Lens on the opening day, before losing 2-0 away to Paris Saint-Germain. Pressure is mounting around Franck Haise's project, who arrived this summer to succeed Julien Stéphan.
The squad relies on offensive players like Senegalese striker Boulaye Dia, who also sent a message on social media during the day. The team must also deal with the absence of defensive midfielder Baptiste Santamaria, who is suspended for this trip. You can check the full list of unavailable players on our injuries page.
What is Haise's tactical vision?
The manager wanted to clarify his approach. He does not want his wide players, such as Désiré Doué or Arnaud Kalimuendo, to be confined to a role of providing crosses. His philosophy favours more inward movements, short combinations, and intelligent occupation of space. This desire to break from a traditional pattern partly explains his irritation with questions he considers reductive.
This season, Stade Rennais has used several systems, oscillating between a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3. The versatility of the players is a major asset for Haise. Young Martin Terrier, for example, can play both on the left wing and as a striker. The team is still searching for its optimal offensive balance, as shown by its statistics: only one goal scored in two matches. To follow the evolution of individual performances, our stats page is available.
What is next for Stade Rennais?
The match at Angers represents a major opportunity to collect points before a tricky run of fixtures. After this game, Stade Rennais's schedule gets busy with the resumption of the Europa Conference League.
The squad will need to quickly find solutions to be more efficient in front of goal. Competition for attacking spots is real, with Dia, Terrier, Kalimuendo, and prospect Mathis Lambourde. The upcoming schedule can be viewed on our fixtures calendar.
The tense press conference for Franck Haise ended on that note. The Stade Rennais FC manager, whose contract runs until June 2028, now hopes his vision will bear fruit on the pitch at the Stade Raymond-Kopa this Saturday at 5:00 PM.
