Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

NFFC Fan · 03-07-2016 20:53:21

Hi,
I'm writing a piece for my incredibly small website about Montanier being appointed, and I was wandering if any Stade Rennais fans could answer some questions for me about his time here, as it seems a little less easy to make out how well he did as it does compared to, say, Sociedad or Bolougne.

1) Were you surprised by the appointment - did you think that you'd done well given how he did at Sociedad and maybe think he may have gone to a bigger club (no offence)?

2) How did he do in his first season in comparison to expectations?

3) What about the second?

4) Finally the third?

5) Why did he leave?

6) What would you consider his strengths and weaknesses to be?

7) What style of football/formations can I expect?

8) Finally - will he do well at Forest (brutally honest please)

Glasgow_Celtic · 03-07-2016 22:02:02

NFFC Fan a écrit:

Hi,
I'm writing a piece for my incredibly small website about Montanier being appointed, and I was wandering if any Stade Rennais fans could answer some questions for me about his time here, as it seems a little less easy to make out how well he did as it does compared to, say, Sociedad or Bolougne.
1) Were you surprised by the appointment - did you think that you'd done well given how he did at Sociedad and maybe think he may have gone to a bigger club (no offence)?
I was happy that we appointed Montanier. The highest we've ever finished in Ligue 1 is fourth and we'd been in Europe a couple of years previous, so I thought our next step would be to appoint Montanier who would then try and get us into the European position - it didn't happen unfortunately but when he left us a good bit through last season we were in the upper reaches of the table - who know what would have happened if he stayed?
2) How did he do in his first season in comparison to expectations?

I expected us to not to be immediately fighting for Europe, so his first season was to get a feel of the team. However, we finished 12th which wasn't great by any means but at least we were a place ahead of our rivals Nantes on goal difference. However, we did get to the Coupe de France final against our Breton neighbours Guingamp. We didn't win...as usual...but give him a lot of credit for that!

3) What about the second?
It was underwhelming as we finished where we usually finish. It was better league wise than the season before, but we didn't get to a cup final and I expected by this time to be at least fighting for Europe but we weren't unfortunately. The last few games were just dull games as we knew we were fighting for nothing.
4) Finally the third?
Arguably his best season league-wise as it looked like we were actually going places and going to be in Europe. We were hovering at second to fifth place for months and when Monty left I believe we were third with a game in hand or something (don't take that as fact). Our team had a young star Ousmane Dembele who was on fire this season and we had Kamil Grosicki scoring goals off the bench like mad. However, Paul-Georges Ntep was injured for a large part of that season, and if he was playing, who knows what could have happened. However, Monty changed the team too much, players were never really settled and there were too many changes.
5) Why did he leave?
I couldn't tell you for definite why he left because we were doing good in the league when he did. We were beaten by Bourg en Bresse Peronas who are a second tier team at home in the cup and that hurt a lot and maybe started the process for getting rid of him. We brought in Rolland Courbis to be what they called a 'Presidential Adviser' however, he was only in the post for something like two weeks before he took over as the manager once Monty was sacked.
6) What would you consider his strengths and weaknesses to be?
His strength would probably be that he was always structured and willing to give the youth a chance in matches as was shown with the introduction of Dembele and Janvier among other this season. He was arguably a good tactician as well and was always willing to change things (somewhat a weakness as well).
A weakness was, as I have previously touched on, that he changed too much and played silly formations a lot of the time. He played players out of position to suit his bonkers formations - the man was a mad man. He would play with six to eight defenders in some matches, some of which out of position. Funnily enough, one of the first time he did this was away to Lyon - a tough team to beat at home. Well, he proved us early doubters wrong as we ran out 1-2 winners, but other than that the style of play wasn't great.
7) What style of football/formations can I expect?
I can't possibly tell you as he changes it too much. As I've said, if he does what did with us, you could have a lot of players playing where they shouldn't be. He tended to go with 3-5-2, 5-4-1 or 4-5-1 (which turned into 4-3-3 in attack) - never two up top with two strikers. That never happened with us, mainly because we didn't have two actual strikers or at least two that were good enough and could bounce off each other.
8) Finally - will he do well at Forest (brutally honest please)
It's tricky to know how he'll do with Forest as it's a different style of football in England. You just don't play two up front in France I don't think. It will be difficult for him at first to adjust I think and he may go on one of his mad experiment missions to get his best teams. I have a mate whose second team is Forest and he's seen the frustration Montanier's brought out in me. I just laughed when I saw he was appointed to Forest and I just wish my mate good luck.

Hope this helps, I'll answer any follow-up questions ASAP. cool

Dernière édition de: Glasgow_Celtic (03-07-2016 22:02:53)

NFFC Fan · 03-07-2016 22:06:15

Thank you very much! This will be such a big boost to the my understanding and the piece itself smile

Glasgow_Celtic · 03-07-2016 22:07:33

No bother mate, I'm a journalism student at university - happy to help out. wink

Laugan · 03-07-2016 22:16:00

A few more informations/opinions.

Montanier has been fired because Rennes was 19th at home even if it was pretty good away. This, plus the 2 eliminations from the cups and the weird compositions, it was too much. The fans were asking for his head at every match 1 month before his end.

You say, Glasgow_Celtic, that he gave chances to young players but i think he could have trusted them even more, they were almost always off the bench. Ousmane Dembélé was near from leaving us because Montanier didn't want to give him a chance at the beginning of his last season.

Glasgow_Celtic · 03-07-2016 22:22:44

That's true. I forgot about the home form, I must have removed it from my mind - how mind numbing that was. facepalm

Yes, regarding Dembélé, he was for the off. I remember at this point last season rumours were rife with his departure. However, Monty took until November to actually play him. I also think he made Dembélé untouchable in games that he was perhaps not playing great and wouldn't take him off which annoyed me.

Dernière édition de: Glasgow_Celtic (03-07-2016 22:23:48)

Un autre supporter · 03-07-2016 23:29:12

NFFC Fan a écrit:

Hi,
I'm writing a piece for my incredibly small website about Montanier being appointed, and I was wandering if any Stade Rennais fans could answer some questions for me about his time here, as it seems a little less easy to make out how well he did as it does compared to, say, Sociedad or Bolougne.
1) Were you surprised by the appointment - did you think that you'd done well given how he did at Sociedad and maybe think he may have gone to a bigger club (no offence)?
2) How did he do in his first season in comparison to expectations?
3) What about the second?
4) Finally the third?
5) Why did he leave?
6) What would you consider his strengths and weaknesses to be?
7) What style of football/formations can I expect?
8) Finally - will he do well at Forest (brutally honest please)

I'm glad somebody answered because I wouldn't unless someone did it before me... Like many of us, I wanted him to be fired long before he left, a year at least! The main reaon for me being that weird propensity to change the formation as often as he could, regardless of which everyone's real position is on the pitch. How can anyone get any kind of reference in such circomstances??? Well, they didn't and we finished 9th...

Feel free to ask again, it's my pleasure!

Dernière édition de: Un autre supporter (03-07-2016 23:30:47)

Stade Rennais Online - Le forum

A la une

Dernières brèves

#1 03-07-2016 20:53:21

Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

#2 03-07-2016 22:02:02

Re: Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

#3 03-07-2016 22:06:15

Re: Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

#4 03-07-2016 22:07:33

Re: Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

#5 03-07-2016 22:16:00

Re: Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

#6 03-07-2016 22:22:44

Re: Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

#7 03-07-2016 23:29:12

Re: Questions from a Forest fan about Montainer

Pied de page