Raymond Keruzoré

Raymond Keruzoré (born 17 June 1949, Châteauneuf-du-Faou, Finistère, Brittany) is a former Breton and French football player and manager, regarded as one of the greatest players to have played for Stade Rennais, as well as one of the greatest ever Breton players.

Raymond Keruzoré
Personal information
Date of birth (1949-06-17) 17 June 1949
Place of birth Châteauneuf-du-Faou
(Kastell-Nevez-ar-Faou), Brittany, France
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Stade Quimpérois
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1969–1973 Rennes 88 (6)
1973–1974 Marseille 25 (2)
1974–1975 Rennes 19 (0)
1975–1979 Laval 99 (14)
1979–1981 Brest 38 (0)
1981–1986 Guingamp
National team
1976–1978 France 2 (0)
Teams managed
1981–1986 Guingamp
1986–1987 Brest
1987–1991 Rennes
1992–1993 Tours
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Biography

Raymond Keruzoré's professional football career began aged 20 on 26 June 1969, when he played his debut match in Division 1 for Rennes against Metz (0–3). In 1971, he won the Coupe de France with Rennes, beating Lyon 1–0. The following season, he played 2 matches in the European Cup-Winners Cup, eventually losing to Rangers (1–1 in Rennes, 0–1 in Glasgow).

He signed for Marseille in 1973, but only played one season, returning to Rennes the following year. For Marseille, he played 4 matches in the UEFA Cup, demolishing Union Luxembourg 13–1 on aggregate in the first round. In the second round the team played against Cologne, winning the first leg 2–0, but conceding six goals in the return match.

In 1975, he joined manager Michel Le Milinaire, a fellow Breton, at Stade Lavallois for one of the club's most successful periods, when it won promotion to the French first division. The club then turned fully professional and against expectations retained its top-flight status until long after his departure in 1979.

While playing for Laval, he won the first of two caps for the national team in a world cup qualification match in 1976. 'Kéru' was in contention for the French squad for the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, but did not make the final squad. This, and his lack of international caps, are largely because he played the same midfield playmaker position as Michel Platini.

From 1979 to 1981 he played for Brest, another Brittany-based club to which he would later return as manager. During this time, the team won Division 2 and was promoted to Division 1.

From 1981 to 1986, he was player-manager of Guingamp, his third Breton club. During this time, the team enjoyed one of their most successful ever periods in Division 2 and in the French Cup. In season 82–83 Guingamp knocked Laval out of the cup (0–0, 0–0, then 4–2 on p.s.o.), before losing to Tours in the quarter-finals. The team was eventually a victim of its own success and the best players left for bigger clubs.

He spent one season as manager of Brest (1986–87) and during this time former manager of Lyon to be, Paul Le Guen, played under him. But a strained relationship with then-president François Yvinec meant he left after only one season, returning to Rennes as manager, his first professional club. Brest were relegated the following season.

As manager of Rennes from 1987 to 1992, 'Kéru' enjoyed mixed fortunes. The club finished 20th in 1992 and survived relegation only due to administrative problems of the top division clubs, Brest and Nice.

Raymond Keruzoré's career in football ended in 1997, after two seasons in Division 2 as manager of Stade Quimperois, the club where he began playing as a youth. The club was declared insolvent and he retired from management. He lives near Rennes in Brittany.

Career

Playing career

Managerial career
  • 1981 to 1986: En Avant de Guingamp (Division 2- player-manager)
  • 1986 to 1987: Stade Brestois (Division 1)
  • 1987 to 1992: Stade Rennais (87–91 Division 2, 90–91 Division 1)
  • 1992 to 1993: Tours FC (Division 2)
  • 1995 to 1997: Stade Quimpérois (Division 2)

Honours

Club honours
  • 1971 Winner, French Cup (Stade Rennais)
  • 1975 Promotion to French Division 1 via play-offs (Stade Lavallois)
  • 1981 Champion of French Division 2, Promotion to French Division 1 (Stade Brestois)
  • 1990 Promotion to French Division 1 via play-offs (Stade Rennais)

Individual Honours
  • 1976–77 (Laval) – Etoile d'Or (168pts), i.e. Award for most consistent player of the year.
  • Stade Lavallois player of the century, voted by fans.

International honours

2 international caps, no goal.[1]

8 under-21 caps.

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References
  1. http://www.fff.fr/servfff/historique/historique_new.php?id=KERUZORE%20Raymond
  • Raymond Keruzoré at National-Football-Teams.com
  • L'Équipe website article: "Que sont-ils devenus?" (French language: "Where are they now?")
  • Archive article (11 May 1990) from French newspaper L'Humanité, regarding a match between Rennes (managed by Kéru) and AS Nancy-Lorraine (managed by Michel Platini).
  • Interview transcript from France Football magazine 15 Feb 2005
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