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Fullname: Stéphane Mahé
aka: Stephane Mahe
Born: 23 September 1968
Birthplace: Puteaux, France
Signed: 30 July 1997
Left: 1 August 2001
Position: Defender, Left-back
Debut: St Johnstone 0-2 Celtic, League, 23 Aug 1997
Internationals: none
Biog
“I don’t know if the Celtic fans liked me, but I loved them.”
Stephane Mahe (2010)
Mahe was a well liked player at Celtic. Coming into the side as a full back, he was immediately competing for a place against with Tosh McKinlay for the left-back role, and in time made himself a regular place on the teamsheet. Prior he had a difficult career and in France with Auxerre & PSG, and came to Celtic to try to kick-start things. He was the first Frenchman to play for the first team.
Despite being a defender, defence was not necessarily his best point, his forte being more the increasingly important wing-back. However, he was competitive and hard working, giving his all in every match, something that all the support could admire. Hard tackling and no half-measures given were part of his game, albeit at the cost of unnecessary yellow cards at times. Mahe made no apology for wearing his heart on his sleeve nor for his love for Celtic and their fans (although sometimes that can just be an excuse for poor play but not in his case).
Mahe made his debut for Celtic on Saturday, 23 August 1997 in a 2-0 away victory over St Johnstone in the pivotal one-in-a-row season. He played his role in the double winning season under Jansen and was one of the most dedicated players in the squad. Overshadowed by various colleagues but nonetheless just as important. It stopped Rangers winning ten-in-a-row and the supporters are ever thankful to Mahe for his part in this.
However he’ll be best remembered by some for a couple of matches v Rangers more than any other, having been sent off in two of the matches (including in his debut against them). The first red card is adjudged harsh by many, one being due to the diving Dane (the admittedly world class Brian Laudrup) and the other was an unfortunate/unavoidable handball. Pathetic but that’s another injustice.
His next red card v Rangers was in the controversial May 1999 game. Mahe was sent off by Hugh Dallas (who was woeful) after a retort following a heavy challenge from Rangers player McCann. Mahe had a tantrum after the red card (not surprisingly), and was eventually led off in tears from the pitch, and in truth many sympathised with him. The referee made a mess of it all, and Mahe later had to release an official written apology (by some Celtic mandarin) to dampen matters down.
Don’t get the wrong impression. He may have received a more than average number of yellow cards but he was a defender who did his job, and outside the matches against Rangers he only received ever just one red card in all his years at Celtic. Actually, compared to many other defenders he was by no means any worse and definitely not a hammer thrower by any stretch of its definition. His reputation as temperamental is thus unfairly stamped on him due to the Rangers matches and is a little bit of a cliché (i.e. French volatile temperament etc).
Prior to that infamous last red card against Rangers, he’d actually only received just ONE yellow card in any other game over the past six months, and that was unsurprisingly enough actually against Rangers as well. Hardly indication of a difficult person on the pitch. In truth, his unfair reputation meant that referee’s were too trigger-happy to give him a card than give any benefit of the doubt. Unfair bias against him. The media & critics painted him wrongly, and it was cheap and pathetic (in line with much of the partisan nature of the Scottish media).
To give a true picture of Mahe, referee Jim McCluskey stated: “Stephane Mahe? I’ve never had a moment’s trouble with him. He’s a wholehearted player and sometimes he does dive in too quickly, but more often than not he comes out with the ball. I’m impressed with his ball control going forward.” Good comment but this was the same referee who had refused to give Celtic a penalty at Ibrox when Mahe was blatantly tripped in the box by Rangers’ player Kanchelskis but later admitted he was wrong (stated in an interview with Tom Campbell).
Saying all that, Mahe was really a mixed personality. Tom Boyd in an interview described him as a bit of a moody character taking exception to any remarks, and could be a difficult person not talking to another teammate for weeks. Part of his make-up and nothing personal, just the sort of person he was but never any trouble.
It wasn’t all easy going for the combative player, and injuries blighted his Celtic career, but he came back each time giving his all and was increasingly admired each time.
He left for Hearts as new manager Martin O’Neil was reshaping the squad and Mahe wasn’t to be a major part of the new era, playing just a handful of games under the new manager but enough to get him some medals. Those sympathetic to him would have wished that he’d be given more involvement in the memorable treble season at least.
Overall a good player who managed to play under a multitude of managers (five in total) at Celtic but played his own part well under each.
A much respected player through some great and difficult days.
Playing Career
| Club | From | To | Fee | League | Scottish Cup | League cup | Other | ||||
| Hearts | 01/08/2001 | 01/07/2003 | Free | 43 (3) | 2 | 3 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Celtic | 30/07/1997 | 01/08/2001 | Unknown | 73 (3) | 4 | 9 (0) | 1 | 12 (0) | 0 | 12 (0) | 0 |
| Rennes | 01/08/1996 | 30/07/1997 | No appearance data available | ||||||||
| Totals | £0 | 116 (6) | 6 | 12 (0) | 1 | 14 (0) | 0 | 12 (0) | 0 | ||
| goals / game | 0.04 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
Honours with Celtic
Scottish Premier League
Scottish Cup
League Cup
Pictures
Articles
Football: Mahe joins Celtic’s foreign revolution
31 July 1997 (Independent)
Celtic yesterday unveiled their new French defender Stephane Mahe who becomes the latest foreign recruit by their Dutch coach, Wim Jansen.
The 28-year-old comes to Parkhead from Rennes looking to relaunch a career which, by his own admission, has stumbled in recent times. The former Auxerre and Paris St-Germain player has signed a three-year contract.
He has been heavily criticised for his recent performances, but believes that under Jansen’s guidance, and with the support of the Parkhead faithful, he can show his qualities and rebuild his reputation.
Mahe, signed for a figure believed to be around pounds 500,000, becomes the first Frenchman to play for Celtic and, if he can put his personal problems behind him in Glasgow, should play a key role in improving the club’s occasionally suspect back line.
Mahe said: “This is a big opportunity for me to re-launch my career and prove to my critics I can return to my best at a big club. I had a very happy time at Auxerre at the start of my career but at Paris St-Germain I had a few personal problems which held me back.”
Celtic general manager, Jock Brown, said: “Stephane can play in a traditional left-back role or as a modern wing-back depending on the tactics Wim Jansen wants to play.
“He is a player of considerable experience at a high level and we have tracked him for some time and are delighted to make him our fourth signing of recent weeks.”
Fergus McCann, Celtic’s managing director, added: “The board is pleased to support this continued process of restructuring of the side and delighted to obtain a quality player of international standard as Wim Jansen continues to reshape our squad in line with his plans.”
Hibernian have made their second foreign signing in 24 hours with the transfer of experienced French defender Jean-Marc Adjovi-Boco from Lens. Jim Duffy, the Hibs manager, beat off competition from Premier Division rivals Motherwell and Kilmarnock to clinch Boco’s signature on a two-year deal.
The move adds further strength to a Hibs defence already reinforced by yesterday’s arrival of Icelandic international goalkeeper Olafur Gottskalksson from Keflavik. Both will go straight into the squad for Sunday’s opening match against Celtic at Easter Road.
Boco, who can play as a full-back position or as a defensive midfielder, has played more than 200 games for Lens in six seasons of top-flight football in France.
He is now looking forward to the challenge of adjusting to the different demands of the Scottish League.
“The game here is much quicker and more physical than I am used to, but I think I can be a success in this sort of football,” he said.
CELTS: MAHE’S BACK STEPHANE: NO I’M NOT; Defender and club at odds.
Stephane Mahe last night shot down Celtic’s claims that he could be back in action in three weeks.
The Parkhead star revealed that doctors had confirmed his worst fears … that he’s out of the title run-in.
Celtic claimed the 29-year-old French defender – carried off with knee damage against Hearts – could be back by the time the club face Motherwell on April 18.
A club press release stated: “Following careful examination by specialists we are pleased to report that the injuries sustained by Jackie McNamara and Stephane Mahe are not as bad as first thought.
“Stephane has sustained knee ligament damage, which is not serious enough to require surgery. It is expected to keep him out for 2-3 weeks.”
But Mahe said last night: “No, no, I will be out for six or seven weeks.
“I don’t think this is right. I saw Dr Paul Duffy and our physiotherapist, Brian Scott, today and they told me I would be out for approximately six weeks or more.
“But even if we beat Rangers in our Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday I won’t have the chance to win another medal.
“I think the season is finished for me. Now it’s just treatment.”
Mahe had expected the bad news after admitting on Sunday night that he feared he would not play again this season.
The absence of Mahe, who has been one of the club’s most consistent performers, will be a serious blow to Celtic as they gear up for the league run-in and Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Rangers.
But Celtic believe McNamara could face the Ibrox men at Parkhead on Sunday. Their Press release said: “With intensive treatment, Jackie has a chance of playing.”
COPYRIGHT 1998 Scott
Why Celtic’s first ever French player Stephane Mahe is still indebted to the Glasgow club 22 years on
Exclusive by Matthew Lindsay @MattLindsayHT Chief Football Writer
Stephane Mahe, front row, second from right, in the 1997/98 Celtic squad.
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/18063825.celtics-first-ever-french-player-stephane-mahe-still-indebted-glasgow-club-22-years/
CELTIC fans will be eternally grateful to Stephane Mahe for the contribution he made to the Scottish title victory that ended nearly a decade of Rangers domestic dominance and prevented the Ibrox club from completing 10-In-A-Row back in 1998.
Yet, the French left back will forever be indebted to the Glasgow club and their supporters himself for helping to end a troubled period in his life and resurrect his ailing career. He will have no divided loyalties when Rennes, who he also played for, take to the field for their penultimate Europa League group match at Parkhead this evening.
“I have followed Celtic in Europe this season and I hope to see them win against Rennes and then go far in the competition,” said Mahe from his home in Pontarlier near the French-Swiss border yesterday.
“For me, in my head, in my heart, I don’t forget, I can’t forget, my time with Celtic and in particular what the Celtic fans gave me. I am so very proud to have played for Celtic.”
Mahe, a product of the fabled Auxerre youth academy, showed tremendous promise and enjoyed great success after breaking into Guy Roux’s first team in the late 1980s. The defender was involved in the Burgundy club’s run to the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 1993 and their first ever Coup de France triumph the following year.
But he struggled to establish himself at Paris Saint-Germain after winning a move to the Parc des Princes in 1995 – playing home and away in a 4-0 aggregate triumph over Celtic in the second round of the European Cup Winners’ Cup were rare highlights from his only season in the capital – and a switch to Rennes the next season also failed to work out due to a devastating bereavement.
“It wasn’t a good time for me,” he said. “Shortly after I joined Rennes in July I lost my mother. It was a very bad start. But that whole season was very, very difficult for me. I was lucky that Celtic contacted me and asked me to join them.
“To leave France and move to Scotland was the best thing for me. After only two or three months I knew Celtic was the club for me. I started to enjoy life again and take pleasure from my football.”
Mahe, who was bought for £500,000, was far from the best bit of transfer business that Celtic carried out in the summer of 1997. Henrik Larsson, who cost just £150,000 more and arrived a few weeks later, did rather well in the subsequent seven years.
Nevertheless, the full-back quickly endeared himself to fans with his combative style of play and total commitment to their cause and more than justified his fee in the next 10 months. He was a regular in the Wim Jansen team that won the League Cup and Premier League double in his debut season.
“It was very important for Celtic to win the league,” he said. “I was very happy to get the title and stop Rangers winning 10-In-A-Row. It was a successful season for us. It is a great memory, a big memory, for me.
“I don’t know if the Celtic fans liked me, but I loved them. I hope they were happy that I played for their team. When you play for this kind of club with those kind of fans you want to play well every game. They gave me so much.”
The departure of Jansen, whose relations with the Celtic hierarchy had been strained, and the arrival of Dick Advocaat and a raft of multi-million pound players at Rangers meant that Mahe and his team mates were deposed as champions the next season.
The left back’s fiery temperament surfaced in the infamous Old Firm shame game at Parkhead in May. He confronted referee Hugh Dallas after being sent off for a second bookable offence and refused to leave the field. His conduct in a match his team ended up losing 3-0 still makes him shudder over 20 years on.
“I am so remorseful about what I did when I think back to this particular moment,” said Mahe. “If I could go back in time I would change what I did. When I speak to my son and daughter now I try to give them good values and bring them up to behave like good boys and good girls, not like me. I am over 50 now and am able to control my emotions better.”
Celtic are keen to win their Group E match with Rennes tonight despite securing their place in the knockout rounds with their win over Lazio in Italy earlier this month because they are determined to top the section and receive a more favourable draw for the last 32.
Mahe, who is now 51 and works as a youth coach in his homeland, doesn’t believe it will be straightforward for Neil Lennon’s side even though their opponents, who have picked up just a point from their four games, can no longer progress
“Rennes had a good season last season with a very good young coach, Julien Stephan,” he said. “But this season is more difficult for them. Some important players have left as a result of the success they had. Football is like that. They lost to Dijon at the weekend and their coach was furious. I think we will see a reaction to that at Parkhead.”
Mahe, who picked up a total of six winners’ medals before departing for Hearts in 2001, was the first French footballer to play for Celtic. He has been pleased to see many of his countrymen follow him to Parkhead and do well since and has enjoyed seeing Odsonne Edouard and Christopher Jullien in action this term. But he is honoured to have paved the way for his compatriots.
“My brother-in-law is a tennis coach in Glasgow and I visit him from time to time and see Celtic,” he said. “But I know Jullien from his time with Toulouse. He is a great player, I love this player. Edouard has also done very well considering he is so young.
“Moussa Dembele has been brilliant with Lyon and I am sure he has taken a lot of confidence from his time at Celtic. It is nice to see some French players involved at Celtic and helping them make history. I am so happy to be the first one.”