‘It’s a privilege to be here’ – Habib Beye on his appointment as Rennes head coach | OneFootball

Habib Beye has been formally introduced as Rennes’ new head coach at Roazhon Park this Friday. The 47-year-old has replaced Jorge Sampaoli in the dugout as the Argentine manager delivered poor results, leading Rennes from 11th to 16th place in the Ligue 1 standings. The club’s owners swiftly signed Beye on a short-term deal. Beye was a free agent after leading Red Star FC to a Ligue 2 promotion last summer. “It’s a privilege to be here”, Beye said in a presser attended by Get French Football News. “It was the right moment for me. In a way, I had eight months of vacation, to emotionally discharge myself from what I had experienced with my previous club, and to listen to opportunities. This is a magnificent one.“

Despite Rennes’ precarious situation in 16th place with 15 Ligue 1 games to spare, Beye relishes the opportunity to turn the team’s fortunes around. “We are together for an exceptional journey with fifteen milestones for us to perform”, said the former Senegal international right-back. “I never said to myself that the situation is tough and that I should steer clear of it. What motivates me in life are challenges.“

Beye will make his Rennes debut at home this Sunday against in-form BlueCo-owned Ligue 1 team Strasbourg, Beye’s former club. The former Newcastle United defender also added that his first-ever professional game was against Rennes. “It’s a positive omen. It means that I am there at the right time in the right place to deliver a big game with my players. I want a dominant team that can permanently hurt the opponents.“

GFFN | Bastien Cheval – reporting from Rennes