Stéphane Paille
Encyclopedia
Stéphane Paille is a French
former professional footballer
who played for the French national team
as well as for various clubs sides in France, Portugal
, Switzerland
and Scotland
. Since his playing retirement he has developed a career in football management.
Paille started out with Sochaux
, with whom he played for 7 seasons between 1982 and 1989. He helped the Montbéliard
side reach the 1987-88 Coupe de France
final, and was voted French Player of the Year at that seasons end. He also earned his eight caps for France between 1986 and 1989, scoring a single goal for les Bleus.
The rest of Paille's playing career was somewhat nomadic: after leaving Sochaux for Montpellier HSC
in 1989, whom he joined with close friend Eric Cantona
, he spent no more than 2 seasons at the same club during the next 9 years. He joined Girondins de Bordeaux in December 1989, then FC Porto in the summer of 1990. Following a two year spell at SM Caen
between 1991 and 1993, he returned to Bordeaux for a single season. In 1994 he joined Olympique Lyonnais
, then moved to Swiss side Servette Geneva
in 1995. After one season he returned to France with FC Mulhouse
. In September 1995 Paille retired after failing a drugs test due to cannabis
use. He told L'Equipe
this was due to serious personal problems. He joined Scottish side Heart of Midlothian
in 1996. He was released by the Edinburgh
club in May 1997 after failing a drugs test due to his use of Dinintel
.
Paille then returned to first club Sochaux, where he held a coaching position for three years between 1999 and 2002. He gained his first executive role when he was appointed head coach of Besançon RC
but left in 2004. He was briefly head coach at Racing Club Paris
in 2005, before being approached by Angers
in May 2005. He left the Blanc et Noir in June 2006.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
former professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for the French national team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
as well as for various clubs sides in France, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Since his playing retirement he has developed a career in football management.
Paille started out with Sochaux
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
, with whom he played for 7 seasons between 1982 and 1989. He helped the Montbéliard
Montbéliard
Montbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
side reach the 1987-88 Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
final, and was voted French Player of the Year at that seasons end. He also earned his eight caps for France between 1986 and 1989, scoring a single goal for les Bleus.
The rest of Paille's playing career was somewhat nomadic: after leaving Sochaux for Montpellier HSC
Montpellier HSC
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club is a French association football club based in the city of Montpellier. The club was founded in 1919 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Montpellier plays its home matches at the Stade de la Mosson, located within the city...
in 1989, whom he joined with close friend Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
, he spent no more than 2 seasons at the same club during the next 9 years. He joined Girondins de Bordeaux in December 1989, then FC Porto in the summer of 1990. Following a two year spell at SM Caen
SM Caen
Stade Malherbe Caen is a professional French football team, playing in the city of Caen, Normandy. The club was founded on 17 November 1913 following the merger of Club Malherbe Caennais and Club Sportif Caennais...
between 1991 and 1993, he returned to Bordeaux for a single season. In 1994 he joined Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
, then moved to Swiss side Servette Geneva
Servette FC
Servette FC is a Swiss football club, based in Geneva currently playing in the Swiss Super League. They were playing in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football having been relegated from the Swiss Super League at the end of 2004/05 season...
in 1995. After one season he returned to France with FC Mulhouse
FC Mulhouse
Football Club de Mulhouse is a French association football club based in Mulhouse. The club was founded in 1893 and currently play in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth level of French football. Mulhouse plays its home matches at the Stade de l'Ill located within the city...
. In September 1995 Paille retired after failing a drugs test due to cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
use. He told L'Equipe
L'Équipe
L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...
this was due to serious personal problems. He joined Scottish side Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
in 1996. He was released by the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
club in May 1997 after failing a drugs test due to his use of Dinintel
Clobenzorex
Clobenzorex is a stimulant drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes used as an appetite suppressant...
.
Paille then returned to first club Sochaux, where he held a coaching position for three years between 1999 and 2002. He gained his first executive role when he was appointed head coach of Besançon RC
Besançon RC
Besançon Racing Club is a French football club based in Besançon. It was founded in 1904-1905. They play at the Stade Léo Lagrange.- Current squad :As of September 2011.- Coaching staff :...
but left in 2004. He was briefly head coach at Racing Club Paris
RCF Paris
Racing Club de France – Levallois 92 is a French association football club formerly based in Colombes, a suburb of Paris. In 2009, the club moved to nearby Levallois-Perret after the club reached a financial agreement with the commune. Racing was founded in 1882 as a sports club and is one of the...
in 2005, before being approached by Angers
Angers SCO
Angers Sporting Club de l'Ouest is a French association football club based in Angers. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second division of French football having achieved promotion to the league in 2007. Angers play its home matches at the Stade Jean Bouin located...
in May 2005. He left the Blanc et Noir in June 2006.