A strong man at Stade Briochin, of which he is both president, sporting director and coach, Guillaume Allanou gave everything for this club. At the time of hosting Annecy, in the Coupe de France, this strong and endearing personality ensures that he is preparing his exit.
Coupe de France (round of 16). Stade Briochin (N2) – Annecy (L2), Wednesday (6:30 p.m.)
He himself says: “Without the Stade Briochin, my life would be peaceful”. But such is love. As the unreasonable man that he is, Guillaume Allanou did not choose tranquility. No doubt he didn’t choose anything at all. This club is a bit of his life, his work. For 16 years, he has been the leader, the compass, the guide. He leaves his money (he is the main sponsor through his own company), his time and even his health.
President, sports director and even coach, since the unexpected departure of Roland Vieira a year ago, he has held all three hats with immoderate energy. “It’s true that sometimes, when I’m fed up, when it tires me, I wonder why I do all this. »
“I am at the end of the adventure”
On Wednesday, he will still be on the bench for the Griffons who will face Annecy in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France. He will savor this moment all the more as his exit is near, aware of having taken the club as far as it had to go, after having recovered it in 2009, when he was only 32 years old, and having moved it from the DSE to the National. “My health problems have made me put things into perspective (he had two back operations last year, editor’s note), explains the manager and technician, almost 48 years old. I’m at the end. I believe that we went to National (2020-2023) and that we can hardly go back there. It’s time for me to prepare for the sequel. For the club, for me. I am at the end of my adventure. All that remains is to find the right people. Now I have to get out of it, but in the right way. For the club and to give meaning to history. I spent 16 years investing, energy, money. If tomorrow or a year after my departure, everything goes to shit, all these sacrifices will have been meaningless. »
From next season, he should no longer be on the bench. Perhaps he will still be president, time to hand over the reins, but his eventual withdrawal seems inevitable. Today, Stade Briochin is him. And as long as he occupies the slightest function, however small, he will remain the referent. “It wouldn’t be good for me or my successors,” admits the father of four boys, who went so far as to guarantee the club’s debt when he took it over with a few friends. I’ve already gone over the problem 100 times in my head. I won’t be able to stay. »
A personal mission
“I think there is, deep down, this need to put the club in its place compared to the tackle from behind that he received when he was a professional trainee and the club had filed for bankruptcy, in 1997, estimates Éric Guillemaud, Stade salesman and Allanou’s traveling companion. He experienced this liquidation in his heart and guts. He left the stadium with a taste of unfinished business. And since then, it’s as if he had some sort of personal mission to accomplish. »
A personality as strong as it is endearing, Briochin nevertheless sometimes arouses criticism, around this concentration of powers that he ended up generating. He will put forward a question of means, first of all, since he does not take a cent. Also the fact that his time as coach in January was not premeditated. It is also the result of a certain taste for demands, and a need for control too, which have undoubtedly caused him to lose some friends. “Guillaume is endearing,” describes Jean-Noël Le Buzullier, his former teammate. I met some unhealthy people. He is not. He fights for his club. When you have to go to the fire, get your hands dirty, it’s there. A N2 football club is a business. He is at the head and makes decisions. In this case, there is never unanimity. He goes with his ideas and obviously, it works. He wasn’t much wrong. »
“I have no accountability”
Coach by passion, president and sports director by necessity, Allanou prefers to be alone than poorly accompanied. “Share and delegate, I am ready to do it, but not with just anyone,” confirms the Breton. I gave too much of myself. I am not a despot, I try to be in dialogue. But it wouldn’t make sense for me to pass this on to someone and say, “We’ll see what happens.” » And this chronophagy still has an advantage: freedom. “I do what I want and I have no accountability. »
If this functioning has proven itself thanks to the work capacity and talent of a man, it nevertheless proves to be very limiting in the long term. The Costarmorican is aware of this and is trying to initiate a change of model, more collegial, in order to perpetuate this work into which he has put all his soul. An immense challenge, perhaps even the greatest he has ever taken on. Because it is never easy to let your child fly away.
Guillaume Allanou in brief
Birth in Saint-Brieuc
Liquidation of Stade Briochin while he is a professional trainee
He succeeds Michel Gland as president of the club
Stade Briochin reaches the National
Round of 16: Stade Briochin (N2) – Annecy (L2) at 6:30 p.m.
Crédit photo: Photo Nicolas Créach
