.jpg) Batlles as aSaint-Étienne player in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Laurent Batlles[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1975-09-23)23 September 1975 (age 50)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Nantes, France[2] | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1992–1994 | Toulouse | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1999 | Toulouse | 158 | (10) |
| 1999–2001 | Bordeaux | 70 | (3) |
| 2002 | Rennes | 28 | (2) |
| 2003 | Bastia | 38 | (4) |
| 2004–2005 | Marseille | 49 | (11) |
| 2005–2008 | Toulouse | 84 | (8) |
| 2008–2010 | Grenoble | 70 | (2) |
| 2010–2012 | Saint-Étienne | 68 | (8) |
| Total | 565 | (48) | |
| International career | |||
| 1991 | France U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | France U21 | 4 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2015–2016 | Saint-Étienne (assistant) | ||
| 2016–2019 | Saint-Étienne (reserves) | ||
| 2019–2021 | Troyes | ||
| 2022–2023 | Saint-Étienne | ||
| 2024–2025 | Clermont Foot | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Laurent Batlles (born 23 September 1975) is a French former professionalfootballer, who played as amidfielder, and currentmanager.
Batlles was born inNantes. In 1993, he emerged from theToulouse academy into the senior squad, playing his first game inDivision 1 on 2 April 1994 in a 1–0 away loss againstLyon.[3]
In 1999, after scoring ten league goals in six seasons, two spent inDivision 2, Batlles signed withBordeaux, where he took part in exactly half of1999–2000's league fixtures, adding eight appearances in the side'srun in theUEFA Champions League, netting once.[4]The following campaign he scored three in 32 matches, featuring in 19 league games in2001–02 – six in theUEFA Cup – before completing the latter season atRennes.[4]
In January 2003, Batlles moved toCorsica andBastia. He played the remaining 19 fixtures for his new team, a figure he repeated in the first half of2003–04 (without scoring)[4] before joiningMarseille, in another Januarytransfer window move.[5]
Batlles contributed eight matches inl'OM'srunner-up run in theUEFA Cup[4] includingthe final, lost 2–0 toValencia.[6]The following season he scored eight goals in 30 games[7] and, after starting2005–06 at theStade Vélodrome, rejoined Toulouse following problems with managerJean Fernandez.[8]
Batlles joined permanently in the2006–07 campaign after a successful loan spell, although he had a contract with Marseille until June 2008.[9][7] Again, he was an undisputed starter, as Toulouse finished third in the league and reachedthe third qualifying round of the Champions League, eventually bowing out toLiverpool.[10]
In2008–09, the 33-year-old Batlles joinednewly promoted clubGrenoble on a two-year deal,[11] being first choice as it eventually retained its top-flight status. In June 2010, afterbeing relegated, he was released, quickly signing forSaint-Étienne – the first team placed above the relegation zone – at nearly 35 years of age.[12]
Batlles retired from football in May 2012, with a total of 473 French top-tier games and 41 goals.[13] He continued working with his last club, as a technical supervisor.[14]
In June 2019, Batlles was announced as the new coach ofTroyes, joining on a two-year contract.[15] He led them back to the top flight in2021 after a three-year absence, as champions.[16]
Batlles left on 30 December 2021, after falling out with ownersCity Football Group.[17] He agreed to a two-year deal atrecently-relegated Saint-Étienne on 3 June 2022.[18] On 6 December 2023, following five consecutive Ligue 2 defeats, Batlles was sacked.[19]
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Troyes |  | 14 June 2019 | 30 December 2021 | 89 | 43 | 17 | 29 | 114 | 94 | +20 | 048.31 | [20] |
| Saint-Étienne | | 3 June 2022 | 6 December 2023 | 57 | 23 | 15 | 19 | 83 | 75 | +8 | 040.35 | |
| Total | 146 | 66 | 32 | 48 | 197 | 169 | +28 | 045.21 | ||||
Marseille
Troyes
