In Rennes, shock and misunderstanding after the ouster of President Létang

• The day after President Olivier Létang's dismissal, Stade Rennais conceded a draw on their lawn Saturday night against Brest.
• At the end of the meeting, several players expressed their shock and their incomprehension after this decision as sudden as brutal.
• Rennes coach Julien Stéphan only wants to focus on the field.

There was indeed a match, a derby even against Brest. But the meeting, which ended in a sad draw (0-0), seemed a little relegated to second place. Because it is indeed the surprise eviction of Olivier Létang the day before which was in everyone's mind Saturday evening in the bays of Roazhon Park. The decision of the Pinault family, the shareholder of Stade Rennais, to suddenly cut the president's head was like a bomb. In the followers of the club, the supporters but also and especially in the locker room. "We were all very surprised, we really did not expect it," responded captain Damien Da Silva after the game.

💬Damien Da Silva: "A lot of misunderstanding ..." The captain of Rennes speaks about the departure of Olivier Létang. @ TVR35 @staderennais pic.twitter.com/cj8UAhIYJ3

The reasons for the dismissal of Olivier Létang seem multiple. The former sports director of PSG would have paid for his internal management of the club and his strained relations with trainer Julien Stéphan. But the timing questions while Stade Rennais, still third in Ligue 1, is in the race for a place in the Champions League. "There is a lot of misunderstanding," said Damien Da Silva, who learned the news from his partners on Friday just before training. "We cannot remain indifferent to what there was, we were all shocked by this decision," said defender Jérémy Morel.

Julien Stéphan focused on the field

In a post-match press conference, Julien Stéphan was of course unable to dodge questions about the surprise departure of his now ex-president. At first, he did not hide the tensions that had arisen in recent months between the two men. "It is no secret that with the president, we have not always had very harmonious relations," said the Rennes coach. Before engaging and saluting the work of Olivier Létang "who put me in this position and who gave me the opportunity to train".

💬Julien Stéphan: "It was no secret that our relations were not always harmonious. However, it was he who gave me the opportunity to be in this position there ..." The reaction of the Rennes coach after the departure of Olivier Létang. @ TVR35 @staderennais #Stephan pic.twitter.com/1lhTbdoEcr

If the club experiences a backstage, it ensures, however, "simple coach" that it is, to be focused only on the field. "Our shareholder makes these decisions and we must follow the path he asks us to follow," he added, immediately planning on the "extremely exciting" deadlines that await his group in the championship and the Cup. France.

"Not urgent" to find a successor

Behind the scenes, Stade Rennais does not seem too eager to find a successor to Olivier Létang if we are to believe Jacques Delanoë, appointed interim managing director. “There is no urgency since the mercatos are finished and the club is in perfect working order. We are not going to go fast for the pleasure of going fast but we are not going to dawdle either, the idea being to conduct this as well and as quickly as possible ”, he indicated just before the meeting at the microphone of Bein Sports.

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• Julien Stéphan
• Rennais Stadium
• League 1
• Rennes
• Soccer
• Sport