Albert Batteux
Albert Batteux ( born July 2, 1919 in Reims, † February 28, 2003 in Grenoble, Isère ) was a French football coach and football player. Because of his success he has made in the history of French football: In 2000, he was elected (after the world champion trainer in 1998, Aimé Jacquet ) the second best French coach of the century and the middle of 2013 has made him the editorial team of France Football unanimously at the best club coach who worked in the highest French League since 1932, explains ..
- 2.1 successes as a coach
The player
His career as a player took place at his home club Stade de Reims, for the striker, who was increasingly placed in the rotor row, from 1937 to 1950 successful when interrupted by the Second World War, kicked: 1937-1939 Reims was not in the highest division ( Division 1 ) represent and during the occupation ( 1940-1944 ) was one Batteux not consistently in the squad of playing in the North Season clubs, but he stood in 1944 with the regional selection team ( Equipe Fédérale ) Reims -Champagne in the cup final ( 0:4 against the EF Nancy- Lorraine ). In 1945, again under more regular conditions, he played in the starting eleven of the first division, with whom he will also champion and 1950 Cup Winners' Cup in 1949. After the Cup win was Albert Batteux coach just this club, where he is after all still aufstellte in the following two seasons in 34 of a total of 68 Erstligapartien itself.
His debut in the French national football team gave Batteux on 6 June 1948. He graduated in 1948 and 1949, eight inserts for the Équipe Tricolore, it scored a goal in four games and was also team captain.
Successes as a player
- French football champions in 1949 with Stade de Reims.
- French Cup winner in 1950 with Stade de Reims.
The coach
Immediately after his retirement as a player familiar club president Henri Germain Albert Batteux to his old team, for which he was a total of thirteen years (1950-1963) the responsibility and with his coaching philosophy of fast, technically challenging offensive game one of the best teams in Europe formed. Five times Reims was at this time French champion, twice (1954, 1963) runner-up, Cup Winners Cup once, and twice defeated Stade until the final of the European Cup of champions Real Madrid.
Besides his activities as a club coach, he was also in charge of the end of February 1955 to May 1962 for the national team, he oversaw in 56 internationals. With the Football World Cup 1958, he led them to third place - France's hitherto biggest success. This Batteux had hesitated, as the selection committee of the French Association FFF offered him on a proposal Pierre Pibarots this position; Jules Bigot had namely terminated shortly before, as said committee had left him with regard to course implementation and selection for the invited players only minimal leeway. It was only after a conversation with Paul Nicolas, the upcoming " strong man " of the Comité de sélection in which this him the " sole responsibility in all technical and tactical issues," assured, Batteux gave his consent and was appointed formally on 25 February 1955. To purchase, he led the Bleus mid-March to a 2-1 away win against Spain, in which he had used five Reims players that Raymond Kopa was born after the final whistle of enthusiastic Spanish crowd on the lawn of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
From 1963 to 1967 Batteux disappeared somewhat from the headlines ( coach at Grenoble FC in the Division 2 ) before the AS Saint- Étienne signed him as a successor to Jean Snella and he with the Stéphanois immediately a series of three national championships in a row (1968 - 1970) fetched, to 1968 and 1970 managed by winning the Cup twice the Double. 1972 ended this very successful time with the Greens (French: les Verts ) from Saint- Étienne; in his last years as a coach, he oversaw still Olympique Avignon, OGC Nice and the 1980/81 season for 17 games Olympique Marseille, before he sat down to rest in Grenoble.
Much of what the coach Batteux has made successful and popular, is now taken for granted a trainer existence; employed in a time when in France, many clubs and the national team yet no trained, tenured coach, and certainly not a staff of specialists - Batteux ' immediate predecessor in Reims, Henri Roessler, typically was even more player-coach - was what he players and club president " exacted ", still uncharted territory. Batteux had a concept that he his players in Reims, Saint -Etienne and the Equipe Tricolore (which have mostly consisted of players from his club team) taught: constant movement in the game without the ball, quiet build-up play, high ball skills and the defender and above all: not to hope for failure of the opponent ( Batteux called the the " English hurray football "), but the enemy impose his game and to play for numerous opportunities in the awareness of one's own strengths. Players were always encouraged him to live out their individual strengths on the court; the young Raymond Kopa, for example, he called for a game to express, more likely to do something on your own in the future: "Your dribbling is a terrible weapon - they are thus also of the team, which you thereby eröffnest clearances your primary asset and. " coupled with an absolutely offensive alignment, this resulted in a play, with both Reims and Saint- Étienne each more than a decade dominated French football. This tactic required the highest physical fitness of all players; therefore led Albert Batteux before the season starts regularly a ten-day training camp in which he specially trained strength and endurance of the squad. The authority of the coach and especially the success of his measures led to fundamental criticism of players and journalists an absolute exception in Batteux ' career remained, especially since he what he asked of his team, not ordered, but said; then this has earned him the nickname " the preacher " (Fr. le prédicateur ). Even today you can hear even from the most critical and opinion joyful players like Kopa, Dominique Colonna and Just Fontaine about their former coach just praise and often words of worship.
Success as a coach
- Third in the FIFA World Cup 1958
- Eight French football champions: 1953, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1962, Stade de Reims and 1968, 1969, 1970, AS Saint- Étienne
- French Cup winners three times: in 1958 with Reims as well as 1968 and 1970 with Saint- Étienne
- Twice a finalist in the European Champion Clubs' Cup: 1956, 1959 with Stade de Reims
- Winner of the Coupe Latine: 1953 with Stade de Reims