As indicated by a tweet from the club, and reported by Le Parisien, Red Star manager Habib Beye will stay at the club for the 2023-2024 season. Talks reportedly took place with Ligue 2 clubs on Beye’s side, with Red Star president Patrice Haddad having sounded out other candidates in case of a departure for the former Marseille, Newcastle, and Aston Villa defender.
Just three weeks ago, after the Les Audoniens victory over Saint-Brieuc (2-0) and their missed promotion to Ligue 2, Beye’s series of embraces on the Stade Bauer pitch seemed like a farewell. His words in the press conference reflected a somber mood.
“I lost five finals as a player in my career and you deal with that individually,” Beye said to GFFN’s George Boxall, “What I experienced tonight I don’t wish on anyone. Because it’s not my failure or my disappointment – it’s the whole club. You have people in the club who have worked year after year, and you see the objective was 2 points away.”
“As a coach you need to know how to drain these emotions. Because we take on all the club’s emotions but we need a moment to deal with them. So, I’m not thinking ahead to next season yet.”
It seems after reflection and a certain testing of the water elsewhere, Beye has decided he will manage L’Étoile Rouge next season, as Red Star hope make good on their promotion ambitions after missing out so narrowly last season. So, what changed?
During the last winter transfer window, Beye was approached by Stade Brestois. He reportedly had discussions with Ligue 2 Sochaux and Amiens, but those negotiations did not materialise to anything substantial.
Le Parisien say that several other coaches were reportedly approached by club president Patrice Haddad and sporting director Reda Hamache, who cautioned that nothing could be promised at the time and that it was merely a precautionary measure in case of Beye’s potential departure. The shortlist included names like Fabien Valéri (Chambly, National 2), Karim Mokeddem (Saint-Brieuc, National), and Laurent Peyrelade (formerly at Rodez, Ligue 2). Valéri had the preference of a faction within the club and Steve Marlet (advisor to the president), with whom he had played at Red Star.
However, another internal faction reportedly favoured a more experienced coach. Despite being a former Red Star player and a product of the club’s academy, Valéri had recently achieved promotion to the National with Paris 13 Atletico in 2022 before finishing third in their National 2 group with Chambly this season. He had even terminated his final year of contract with Chambly to make himself more readily available to rejoin his former club. However, it was not enough to secure the position.
However, Beye will need to find a new assistant coach as his current no.2, Pierre Sage, has been appointed as the director of the Olympique Lyonnais youth academy this week.
GFFN | George Boxall
Photo Credit : Bazil Fleury – @icietailleurs55 on Instagram.
