Abdeslam OUADDOU

When Bölöni arrived as Manager of Stade Rennais, his first priority in terms of recruitment was to sign an old protégé from his days at Nancy, Abdeslam Ouaddou. Brought to Rennes on loan from Fulham in 2003, this centre-back was brought into to help tighten up the defence, which was struggling after the departure of Escudé, and the failure of Loeschbor. Paired with Arribagé, the Moroccan international made a good start, and even scored a goal in the opening game of the league season in a 1-1 draw at Montpellier. After 30 games as first-choice, Ouaddou saw his move to Rennes made permanent. So, the author of the famous declaration “You should count your chickens before they have hatched” was to become one of the heroes of the 2004/2005 season, when the club qualified for Europe. After that, he was often injured, and his formed dipped, and Mensah took his place, before the pairing of Faty and Bourillon kept him out from January 2006. Just as Bölöni, he quit the club in June 2006, and joined Olympiacos Piraeus in Greece.