On March 4, 2021, Bruno Genesio was appointed coach of Stade Rennais, succeeding Julien Stéphan, who resigned at the end of February, after a series of negative results. After a year and a half’s experience in China, at Beijing Guoan, the former OL head coach (from 2015 to 2019) agreed to join Rennes, convinced by President Nicolas Holveck, by shareholder François Pinault and by his friend and former colleague in Lyon Florian Maurice.
A successful bet on the end of the 2020/2021 season
When he took charge of the team, Bruno Genesio had eleven games to qualify Rennes for the European Cup. A task far from being insurmountable since the team is only four points behind in 6th place. At the time of his appointment, Rennes supporters were divided on the choice to hire Bruno Genesio, like Kevin, who remembers the arrival of the technician: “Frankly, I wasn’t sure what to expect when it arrived. It is clear that today the quality of play is very pleasant. Hope it lasts !“
Our France Bleu Armorique consultant Gaël Danic, who rubbed shoulders with Bruno Genesio at OL, recalls his feelings when signing the former Lyon coach: “I tell myself that this is a good opportunity for Rennes, because he is a coach who has known the high level, as head coach and as assistant to Rémi Garde, who is very well known in the industry. Insofar as Rennes must become the next Lyon, nothing better than to take the former coach of OL“judges the former attacking midfielder.”Where I take my hat off to him is to have been in the continuity of Julien Stéphancontinues Gaël Danic. There could have been a break, but the torch was recovered, he surfed on what Stéphan was doing. He brought his touch and Rennes, today, in terms of results and content, is above what Rennes did before, when the cursor was already very high.”
At the end of the 2020/2021 season, where Bruno Genesio and his players manage to clinch 6th place and qualify for the Conference Leaguethe Rennes technician will also salute the work of his predecessor: “I have a thought for Julien, it’s also part of his job.“At the end of the season, Bruno Genesio will have to boost the morale of his troops, take advantage of the very marked possession game of his predecessor, while adding more presence in the opposing area. He also successfully replaces Martin Terrier and Flavien Was in line with the field. Gaël Danic: “When you play the players in their positions, it’s easier. Flavien Tait when you see his technical qualities, it’s a plus for the team. In the axis, he is not lost, he knows what he has to do, he has the qualities to play there: the questions he asked himself on the left, he no longer asks them. You pollute your mind when you’re not really at your post. Bruno released Flavien Tait.“The midfielder pays him well, being one of the main players at the end of the canon season in 2020/2021.
A turbulent off-season on the transfer market
The following summer, Florian Maurice and Bruno Genesio carry out a major overhaul of the Rennes squad : exit the Da Silva, Camavinga, Nzonzi, Maouassa, Niang, Grenier, Soppy, Nyamsi and others. Welcome to Badé, Majer, Laborde, Sulemana, Meling and Santamaria. Between arrivals and departures, Stade Rennais spends around thirty-five million eurosa luxury in a period marked by the loss of revenue linked to the Covid and the withdrawal of Mediapro.
But the mayonnaise is slow to set: after six days, Rennes is 16th in Ligue 1, with only one victory on the clock. The breath of the crisis is felt on the backs of Rennes’ necks, without it really breaking out. And then Rennes blew up Clermont on the 7th day, with a 6-0 victory, heralding other major successes for the rest of the season. The recruits find their rhythm, the executives confirm, the young people assert themselves. In the heart of autumn, the SRFC chained thirteen games without defeats in all competitions. Rennes are first in their Conference League group.
In December and January, Rennes skates, with defeats against direct competitors (Nice, Lille, Monaco, Lens). Absences related to the CAN, poorly anticipated, are felt. But the SRFC has since found the thread, and is positioned as a podium hunter, behind Marseille and Nice. The team’s game, very spectacular, is unanimously hailed. And with their coach, the Rouge et Noir can be ambitious, judge Gaël Danic: “Before, we were content with 4th, 5th, 6th places… As we say that Rennes was an average club, we were already happy to be 6th. It was conditioning. Everything comes from the requirement. The requirement must be lived, felt, and Bruno Genesio brought that from his experience in Lyon. Football is alive. If viscerally you are not convinced that you can do better or more, you are not making the effort. Bruno had to tell them that we had to go for 2nd place. He knows he has the group to do this. Honestly if Rennes are 5th, I would be disappointed.“That’s good: if they don’t assume it publicly, in private the players don’t hide their wish to go for the podium at the end of the season.
A coach appreciated by the supporters, without having completely returned to their hearts
In the opinion of all observers and supporters, this mandate of Bruno Genesio is marked by a quality of play rarely seen at Stade Rennais: “I think we play very welljudge Michel, Rennes supporter. Despite a few slumps in each game, it’s a nice game to watch, with passes, speed.” “I find that there is a little more play, especially at homeengages Geoffrey. Even if we liked Stéphan, there is a little more play than under Stéphan, it’s more fluid.“For Vincent,”Lyon was wrong to part with it some time ago. He is a very good coach. And in terms of state of mind, I think he’s a legit guy, humanly he must be a good guy.“
But for Bruno Genesio, in terms of popularity, it is difficult to succeed Julien Stéphan, coach born in Rennes, who brought back the first trophy for 48 years at the club and who introduced the Champions League to Stade Rennais. Gael Danic: “To get into hearts? You need results and values that people identify with. In Brittany people need to identify with their team and the coach’s values. And Bruno is a man of values.“Achieving a second place in Ligue 1, a ranking never achieved by the club in its history, or winning the Conference League would undoubtedly be enough arguments to win over the demanding Rennes public.