"It is with Great Pleasure that we Welcome Julien & Appoint him as Head Coach"
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2025 7:57 am
His appointment has now been confirmed by the Club..
'QPR are delighted to confirm Julien Stéphan as the club’s new Head Coach.
The 44-year-old has previously worked in the French top flight with Rennes and Strasbourg.
He guided his boyhood club Rennes to their first trophy in 48 years when they won the Coupe de France in 2019,
and achieved their highest league placement in their history in 2019/20 when they finished third in Ligue 1 to qualify
for the Champions League.
Under the Frenchman, Strasbourg finished sixth in the table in 2021/22, recording their highest position for 42 years.
Now Stéphan is ready for a new chapter in W12.
“I feel very proud and excited to join QPR,” he said.
“QPR is a historic club with strong values and passionate fans, so I feel honoured.
“I wanted to come here because I know there's a lot of passion around the club and around the team, and I feel very
lucky to discover that.
“There is something unique about English football. The intensity, the atmosphere, the passion of the fans also, the
tempo of the game, the culture around the club all make it a very stimulating environment for a coach.”
Explaining how he likes to play the game, Stéphan said: “I like my team to play with intensity, energy and personality.
“I believe in collective organisation and also clear identity - but also in giving players freedom to express themselves.
I like courage and I want brave players – they are the players who take initiative because I think to have emotion in
football, we have to take risks.”
While keen to bring energy and excitement to W12, Stéphan said there are fundamentals he demands from all his players.
“The main values are commitment, discipline, and team spirit,” he said.
“I expect my players to give everything on the pitch for the team, for the fans, and to show the right attitude.
“The shirt deserves respect, total respect, and it's non-negotiable for me.”
Stéphan has built a reputation for player development on the Continent, and he revealed his philosophy to maximise
the potential of who he coaches.
“For me, each player is different,” he explained. “Most important is to understand their personality, their strengths and
also what motivates them.
“I try to build a strong relationship with them and create the conditions to put them in the right environment to develop.”
Looking ahead to life as QPR’s head coach, Stéphan said: “I see a group with talent, commitment and potential. I think for
sure there's work to do, but I think we have a great potential in the squad and there's a strong foundation to develop.”
Stéphan is excited to have the QPR fans with him, adding: “Their support will be essential.
“We need them. We need to fight for them and I hope they feel proud of what they see on the pitch. We need them in
the good moments and also in the tough ones.
“We are ready to give our best and to start this new chapter with determination and ambition.”
CEO Christian Nourry said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Julien and appoint him as Head Coach.
“Julien’s track record of developing young players into world class talent was a major factor in our decision to appoint him.
Alongside this, both at Rennes and Strasbourg, he achieved historic league success.
“He has demonstrated genuine excitement about our players in the first-team squad and the prospect of working with them
to try to push this club on further.
“Julien’s appointment is the fruit of an extensive process that was undertaken by key club figures to identify, evaluate
and recruit a coach that understands the club’s football philosophy and is energised by it.”
'QPR are delighted to confirm Julien Stéphan as the club’s new Head Coach.
The 44-year-old has previously worked in the French top flight with Rennes and Strasbourg.
He guided his boyhood club Rennes to their first trophy in 48 years when they won the Coupe de France in 2019,
and achieved their highest league placement in their history in 2019/20 when they finished third in Ligue 1 to qualify
for the Champions League.
Under the Frenchman, Strasbourg finished sixth in the table in 2021/22, recording their highest position for 42 years.
Now Stéphan is ready for a new chapter in W12.
“I feel very proud and excited to join QPR,” he said.
“QPR is a historic club with strong values and passionate fans, so I feel honoured.
“I wanted to come here because I know there's a lot of passion around the club and around the team, and I feel very
lucky to discover that.
“There is something unique about English football. The intensity, the atmosphere, the passion of the fans also, the
tempo of the game, the culture around the club all make it a very stimulating environment for a coach.”
Explaining how he likes to play the game, Stéphan said: “I like my team to play with intensity, energy and personality.
“I believe in collective organisation and also clear identity - but also in giving players freedom to express themselves.
I like courage and I want brave players – they are the players who take initiative because I think to have emotion in
football, we have to take risks.”
While keen to bring energy and excitement to W12, Stéphan said there are fundamentals he demands from all his players.
“The main values are commitment, discipline, and team spirit,” he said.
“I expect my players to give everything on the pitch for the team, for the fans, and to show the right attitude.
“The shirt deserves respect, total respect, and it's non-negotiable for me.”
Stéphan has built a reputation for player development on the Continent, and he revealed his philosophy to maximise
the potential of who he coaches.
“For me, each player is different,” he explained. “Most important is to understand their personality, their strengths and
also what motivates them.
“I try to build a strong relationship with them and create the conditions to put them in the right environment to develop.”
Looking ahead to life as QPR’s head coach, Stéphan said: “I see a group with talent, commitment and potential. I think for
sure there's work to do, but I think we have a great potential in the squad and there's a strong foundation to develop.”
Stéphan is excited to have the QPR fans with him, adding: “Their support will be essential.
“We need them. We need to fight for them and I hope they feel proud of what they see on the pitch. We need them in
the good moments and also in the tough ones.
“We are ready to give our best and to start this new chapter with determination and ambition.”
CEO Christian Nourry said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Julien and appoint him as Head Coach.
“Julien’s track record of developing young players into world class talent was a major factor in our decision to appoint him.
Alongside this, both at Rennes and Strasbourg, he achieved historic league success.
“He has demonstrated genuine excitement about our players in the first-team squad and the prospect of working with them
to try to push this club on further.
“Julien’s appointment is the fruit of an extensive process that was undertaken by key club figures to identify, evaluate
and recruit a coach that understands the club’s football philosophy and is energised by it.”
