Who is Julien Stephan? Everything you need to know about the incoming QPR boss.

QPR have been looking for a new manager, and last week, speculation of a transfer for Julian Stephan increased.

QPR placed Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave just before the end of the season and have been in search of a new manager ever since. While it never totally rules out a return, gardening leave ensured Cifuentes’ departure once a replacement was selected. The Spaniard had been connected with a variety of other Championship positions following allegations of a falling out with CEO Christian Nourry.

Since then, a number of managers have been linked to the R’s position, one of which was Frenchman Julien Stephan. Last week, several news agencies, including West London Sport, reported that he was about to take over QPR after striking a deal in principle. So, exactly who is Julien Stephan?

Stephan’s past

Stephan, like many others, started his football career as a player. He attended the Bordeaux, Paris Saint-German, and Toulouse academies before briefly joining RC Paris and Stade Briochin. When he moved to FC Drouais in 2005, he had his first taste of coaching, juggling playing and youth coaching duties. A two-year academy tenure with Chateauroux’s U19s followed, before the rumoured future QPR boss advanced through the leagues. He remained in academy football but spent two years with FC Lorient before joining Stade Rennais in 2012.

Stephan spent three years as U19s manager, followed by three years as B team manager, until being named first-team manager in December 2018. Stephan guided Rennes to their first European knockout round in 2018/19, and later that season, they won their first domestic title in 48 years, the Coupe de France. They finished third the next year, but he resigned in 2021 after going winless for seven games. The QPR target’s next post was at RC Strasbourg, where he led the club to sixth place in his first full season until being fired in January 2023 with his team placed 19th after one win in 17 games.

Stephan would then return to Rennes in November 2023 but remained in charge for only a year. They finished 10th before a poor start to the following season led to his sacking.

What will Julien Stephan contribute to QPR?

Stephan has several remarkable achievements to his name from his initial term in command of Stade Rennais, and his debut season at RC Strasbourg was also successful. To perform well at a level like Ligue 1 makes for interesting reading ahead of his Championship campaign with QPR. Given the vast difference between the two leagues, his approach could be altered, but the 44-year-old was not afraid to change his tactical setup based on his teams’ strengths and weaknesses in comparison to the opposition – he is not someone with a fixed philosophy or formation that his players must adapt to or be sold.

Wing-play, whether by wing-backs or wingers, is a regular element. They have also been defensively solid at their best, frequently switching play to exploit gaps out wide and in the channels. Stephan’s most appealing role at Stade Rennes was overseeing substantial player growth and improvement, which resulted in sizable transfer profits. While this had advantages, it was also a model that contributed significantly to their decline under his leadership. If this is to be a successful long-term appointment, QPR will need to strike a delicate balance between providing Stephan with players and assets he can develop while not completely dismantling his squad and giving him an uphill battle year after year.

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