In legal conflict with AS Saint-Étienne following his dismissal for “serious misconduct” in January 2021, Stéphane Ruffier speaks in So Foot.
In the latest iteration of the magazine So Foot 100% dedicated to goalkeepers Stéphane Ruffier speaks. The former goalkeeper from the Greens, who spent more than ten years at the club, notably settles scores with Claude Puel.
” Let justice be done “
“ What I just want is for the damage to be repaired, for justice to be done, because I experienced a year of harassment from a man who set up a demolition company against me. (…) People at the head of the club decided to appoint him to the board and therefore almost give him control of the club. They made a choice, and it had the consequences that we know. As soon as he arrived, this individual wanted to downsize and chose to hit the big guys. By releasing Stéphane Ruffier, he gave himself credibility for the future, except that he decided to use a very strong approach, making me appear as less than nothing, a guy who had nothing to do in a group and sowing terror in a locker room,” thunders the former Greens goalkeeper, who played nearly 400 matches with the Saint-Etienne club.
“But do I have to remind you that I played more than 400 Ligue 1 matches, that I had no problem in any group, that I stayed at AS Monaco for a long time, ten years at ASSE, that I have had several trainers and that things have always gone well? »
Ruffier also deplores the lack of support administered by its two presidents, Roland Romeyer and Bernard Caïazzo. “ For ten years, Roland Romeyer called me “son” every morning and kissed me. Well, I hope he doesn’t behave like that with his own son. He never supported me, but I wasn’t entirely surprised, seeing as how I sometimes heard him talking about former players who had done great things at the club. Bernard Caïazzo, he… You should know that he one day sent a message to journalists by writing: “When are you going to destroy him?” Except that among the recipients, unfortunately, there was my agent. How can a president do that? »
