Frédéric, how is your experience discovering the club going?
I've arrived at a very beautiful club, very well-structured. Everything is going very well, and I'm adapting quickly thanks to the welcome from the SRFC staff. I'm truly happy and content to be working for Stade Rennais.
What reasons influenced your decision to join Brittany?
Stade Rennais F.C. has a great reputation in Europe, having been able to develop numerous excellent players who perform at the highest level of global football. It's a club steeped in tradition with great ambition. During my discussions with the Pinault family, Alban Gréget, and Olivier Cloarec, I immediately appreciated the ambition and the desire to do something very important. In these conversations with the management, I found myself aligned with this commitment to work and the desire to give back to the region, the city, and Brittany. We are all working together in this direction.
Is this a shared ambition then?
I will do my utmost to help the club grow further and continue the project. I'm certain that we can do good work; all the conditions are there for success: the strength of the shareholders, a solid club, and quality players. We are well positioned to do something that pleases the city and the supporters.
You were born in Turin and spent almost your entire career as a player and manager in Italy, but you're not entirely unfamiliar...
I have French origins through my mother, which greatly influenced my decision. I've always wanted to come to France; I've followed French football since I was a child. It has also been very beneficial in my career; I've had the opportunity to bring many players who were playing in Ligue 1, even in Ligue 2.
What is your view of this league? It produces a lot of talent. That's why all of European football watches Ligue 1 with particular attention. French players adapt very well to other leagues; they have all the qualities. Having the opportunity to come and work in France today and directly witness all the talent that this region expresses was a great opportunity that I wanted to seize.
How can SRFC once again play a leading role?
The priority is to have a strong team. Stade Rennais F.C. has always been competitive. Of course, this will come through the technical and physical qualities of the players, but a great organizational game has always yielded great results. I'm confident that with our coach, we will be able to produce great matches and give satisfaction to all supporters.
How important is the club environment to you?
I find Rennes to be a magnificent city. Everyone knows Roazhon Park. It's a stadium that is always lively. I'm really looking forward to experiencing these sensations because it's beautiful. More than just an English-style stadium, I would say it's a true football stadium. We appreciate this sport for the players and the atmosphere. Here, the supporters are very close to the pitch. I'm sure the atmosphere at Roazhon Park will be of a very high standard this season.
"Being competitive and making Stade Rennais F.C. proud."
Can we talk about a new cycle for the first team?
We're talking about the same project; it's been clear for years. We want to be a club that develops young players with high potential at the highest level while simultaneously forming a competitive group. Stade Rennais F.C. wants to return to Europe after a season that didn't meet expectations. The ambition is to do better and give it our all. I see #ToutDonner (give everything) everywhere at the club; these are beautiful words. We need to get to work, starting with myself. We do it with the whole team; results don't come without effort. There will be changes, but the project remains the same: being competitive and making Stade Rennais F.C. proud.
What are the orientations of the Rennes transfer market?
Discussions are ongoing daily. It's still a bit early to say that players will arrive in a few days, but we are working on several fronts, of course. We are confident that we will find players who will complement the current squad well.
The transfer market has its share of surprises, joys, and constraints; how do you manage this period?
The squad is incomplete because several players are still with their national teams. Having players in national teams is good news, but it does make it a bit more challenging to build the team. This will come, and we are confident once again that we will do interesting things. There will be opportunities until the last day. The goal is to build the strongest possible team, bringing in players who will serve the collective under the best conditions possible. If patience is needed to build a squad that brings satisfaction, we will be patient.
"We are becoming stronger and stronger by working on our infrastructure."
What are the strengths of SRFC in your opinion?
Sports results greatly contribute to creating visibility and a reputation. However, I believe that the club's structure is more important. The solidity of a club depends on the solidity of its owners. Stade Rennais F.C. is fortunate to be able to count on the Pinault family, who have enabled the club to reach the top level.
In addition to this, we are becoming stronger and stronger by working on our infrastructure. The training center is currently under construction. This sports center is already of a very high standard, and I can say this from my experience. The future center, fully funded by our shareholder, will be even more modern and one of the most beautiful training centers in Europe. We can also rely on the best Academy in France, where the work of the executives, educators, coaches, and various staff members is excellent. There are all the conditions to continue being a top-level club. Stade Rennais F.C. already is, and will increasingly be so.
What about the club's training strategy, which remains an international reference?
The Academy is a cornerstone of our sports policy, and I must apply it. The investments being made now are for the present and the future. It's the best guarantee we can have for achieving results. Training is a priority, and we must continue to invest in this area. The work is excellent, and we must continue in this direction. The club's ability to support a player from a young age to the first team is something that has been built over time, gradually strengthening every day.
What kind of Sporting Director are you to the players?
I don't particularly stand out from any other Sporting Director. It's about living the daily life, the training sessions, the matches. It's about managing moods, supporting players and the staff in their performances. It's a very challenging profession, with a lot of pressure. We are here to support them. I will be very present.
