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Rennes has appointed Franck Haise as its new head coach, marking a return to familiar territory for the 54-year-old manager. Officially announced this Wednesday, the move sees Haise taking the helm of a Ligue 1 club he previously served within its youth academy. The appointment comes as Rennes currently sits sixth in Ligue 1, level on points with fifth-placed Lille, with 12 matchdays remaining to secure a top-five finish.
Haise’s connection to Stade Rennais dates back to 2006, when he began coaching the club’s U15 and U17 teams for six years. This prior experience, combined with a successful managerial career at Lorient, Lens, and most recently Nice, positions him as a well-known figure within French football. His return isn’t just a professional opportunity; it’s a homecoming to a club where he laid the foundations for his coaching philosophy.
Early Promise at Rennes: Developing Future Professionals
Before ascending to roles with Ligue 1’s senior teams, Haise quickly impressed within the Rennes academy. Patrick Rampillon, the former head of Rennes’ youth setup, remembers bringing Haise on board in 2006. “I brought him in due to the fact that he was a man with the skills to join my team of educators composed of Régis Le Bris, Julien Stéphan, or Mathieu Le Scornet,” Rampillon said. “I first felt the value of the individual. His biggest strength? It’s hard to say because he has so many.” Rampillon highlighted Haise’s passion, tactical knowledge, and ability to build rapport with players, noting his capacity to “improve individuals, as he later did at Lens.”
During his time with the Rennes youth teams, Haise mentored a generation of players who would go on to have successful professional careers. These included Tiémoué Bakayoko, Yann M’Vila, Cédric Hountondji, Adrien Hunou, Dimitri Foulquier, Axel Ngando, Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Maxime Etuin. Etuin, now playing for Stade Malherbe Caen (National), recalls Haise’s ability to create a positive and intense training environment. “He always managed to secure the group on his side and make his teams happy to be with him,” Etuin stated. “Footballistically, he already had this passion for tactics that made him a very complete coach. His training sessions were based on pleasure and intensity.”
A Manager Known for Connecting with Players
Haise’s impact extended beyond tactical instruction. Etuin emphasized Haise’s “natural authority and aura,” and his willingness to hold players accountable. “He could also let off steam when he needed to,” Etuin recalled, describing a team talk where Haise directly addressed each player’s performance. “He wanted to make us understand that we weren’t at our level. After that, we turned things around.” This ability to motivate and challenge players, combined with a genuine connection, was a hallmark of his coaching style even at the youth level.
Rampillon echoed this sentiment, expressing regret when Haise departed Rennes in 2012. “When he left Stade Rennais, it made me a little sad because I would have liked to have kept him. But it was his decision, it had to be respected,” he said. Rampillon hopes Haise’s return will support Rennes “establish itself in the top five places in the championship with a game like we knew at a certain period.”
Looking Ahead: Rennes’ Pursuit of European Football
Haise’s appointment comes at a crucial juncture for Rennes. Currently sixth in Ligue 1 – tied on points with Lille, who hold a superior goal difference (4 to -1) – the club faces a challenging run-in as they strive for European qualification. Their immediate test comes this Sunday with a match against Auxerre. The club will be looking to Haise to replicate the success he found at previous clubs, building on his reputation for developing talent and fostering a strong team spirit. His intimate knowledge of the club’s structure and values, gained during his formative years as a coach, could prove invaluable as he seeks to guide Rennes back into the upper echelons of French football.
The return of Franck Haise to Rennes represents more than just a managerial change; it’s a reconnection with a club’s past and a renewed hope for its future. Share your thoughts on this appointment in the comments below, and let us know what you expect from Haise’s tenure at Rennes.
