Stade Rennais – Le Havre: A real break with the Rennes public
Friday, Stade Rennes' victory against Le Havre (1-0) was mainly marked by whistles accompanying the players, who were refused clapping, a first symbolizing the break with the public.
It has been 10 years since Stade Rennes celebrated its victories at Roazhon Park with a clapping, since the initiative taken by Paul-Georges Ntep in front of Mordelles Bas to celebrate a success against Lille. For 10 years, Rennes' successes validated at home have always been celebrated with clapping in front of this same stand, that of the RCK. But on Friday, for the first time this usual appointment was not honored.
It's almost 11 p.m. and Stade Rennes has just taken three points against Le Havre at the end of a grueling match. The content was far from what was hoped for and the new system put in place was hardly convincing. With a flash from Andres Gomez, Rennes won but without style, and the public did not fail to highlight this.
Whistles at halftime
The tone was set before kick-off, when a banner was displayed for the attention of the players: “Honoring this city is your duty”. Already at the break, while Rennes returned to the locker room empty-handed after a very poor first half, Roazhon Park whistled its players copiously. Gomez's goal finally arrived in the 53rd minute and restored a positive momentum around the team, quickly swept away by the doubts of a group which still seems to have a great lack of confidence.
A few whistles came at the end of the match when SRFC retreated and discovered themselves, then at the final whistle when the victory was definitively confirmed. It was in this very strange climate that the players nevertheless began a victory lap, finally arriving in front of Mordelles. Some players, Lorenz Assignon in particular, then asked for clapping as tradition dictates. Refused by supporters wanting to send a message.
A break more than a fracture
In Brest, the yard had already called for the resignation of Julien Stéphan after the draw conceded (1-1) at the end of a very disappointing match overall by the Rennais. Against Monaco, frustration was also visible following an exchange between supporters and Steve Mandanda after the defeat. This non-clapping is therefore a new significant episode of what is currently happening between the SRFC group and its supporters.
It symbolizes the existing break between a team far from being at the level expected to win Europe, and offering football far from that expected by a public having disliked the coach on social networks for many weeks already. This break is now materializing at the stadium with this significant choice not to celebrate a victory, the three points not being enough.
“We may not have met all of the public's expectations. This will have to motivate us more to respond even better”evacuated Julien Stéphan on Friday, followed by Alidu Seidu and Christopher Wooh. “We know that it’s a demanding audience, they have a lot of expectations, that’s normal”. It's probably too early to talk about fracture with his audience, but the end of this block of four matches will say a little more on the subject. Before the next break, Rennes will go to Auxerre before returning to Roazhon Park against Toulouse. Two new opportunities to win back your audience.
