Frédéric JAY

In January 2003, Frédéric Jay arrived at Stade Rennais FC from Auxerre during the last week of the Winter transfer window. This late signing of a right-back was borne out of the necessity to replace Réveillère, who had been loaned to Valencia, and the repeated injuries to Grenet. He arrived in a team which was going through a bad period, and had been restructured by boss Halilhodzic based on ultra-defensive principles. Jay was soon given his chance in his preferred position. Used to the man-marking defensive tactics of Guy Roux at Auxerre, he struggled to adapt to zonal defence. In the absence of anyone better to pick, Jay was put in the starting line-up for the entire second half of the season, and put in some solid defensive displays, but without showing any attacking tendencies whatsoever. For the last three games of the season, which were crucial in the terms of the fight against relegation, the former Auxerre defender was left on the bench, and Faty played in his place. He left the club after 6 months to join Grenoble in Ligue 2.