Théo Sainte-Luce: “Keep fighting until the very end”
Having been plagued by injuries since his arrival four years ago, the 27-year-old left-back has been putting in a string of fine performances in recent weeks. Match
How does it feel to be back on the pitch and back in the starting line-up, which has been the case for you for a few matches now?
That feels good! (smiles) I’m pretty much back to where I was before I got injured, just before the Christmas break. I pulled a hamstring during the match at La Mosson against Pau, but I’ve been fit again since January, so I’m really happy.
I manage to strike a good balance between work and performance
You’ve been injured quite a lot since joining MHSC in the summer of 2022. Have you had to learn to live with that? Isn’t it tough mentally?
Even though I had a bit of a scare back in September, I hadn’t had any problems for a while because I think I’ve found the right routine for me; I manage to strike a good balance between work and performance, so there’s less chance of it happening. That said, no matter how much I do to prevent it, there are times when your body reminds you that you’re not a robot. It wasn’t too hard to cope with mentally, because I’d accepted that it could happen. I was in good shape before it happened, so I told myself there was no reason why that shouldn’t still be the case afterwards. What’s more, I was lucky enough to experience the best moment of my life shortly after that difficult period, with the birth of my daughter on 27 January. It was wonderful. People often say it’s a moment you can’t describe, but that’s true because it really is an incredible moment, even more so when you’ve never experienced it before. Even if the nights are a bit restless, it’s nothing but happiness.
How did you find the first half of the season up until your injury?
Pretty well. As a team, at one point we had a good run of results which gave us something to believe in. At that time, some of the comments made might have been misinterpreted, but it also showed that we’re an ambitious group. Even though we shouldn’t have got ahead of ourselves, we managed to show the other teams that we were in the mix, and we still are. As an iconic club like Montpellier – and one that’s been relegated from Ligue 1, no less – I think a lot of people were inevitably expecting better from us in the first half of the season; now, I feel there’s been a huge amount of progress, both collectively and individually among each of us. That’s what I want to take away from it, first and foremost.
How would you rate your season so far?
I’m the sort of player who needs to play match after match and get plenty of playing time under my belt to regain full confidence. That’s what’s happening for me right now; I’m lucky that my body is giving me a bit of a break, so to speak, and I’m also lucky to have a coach who trusts me. It’s true that it’s been difficult to string matches together over the last few seasons, but that’s the case now; I’m proud of that and I’m gradually getting back to the level I used to be at and the level I need to be at. It really makes me happy because, when you’re sidelined every three months or don’t play much, it’s difficult to maintain your form and, above all, to feel confident.
I am gradually getting back to the level I used to be at and the level I need to be at
You’ve been at MHSC for four years. Seventeen players left this summer, but you stayed. Don’t you feel as though you’re discovering a whole new club – and, above all, that you’ve taken on a different role?
Even though the coaching staff were already in place at the end of last season and had managed to put things in place, there’s no doubt that the squad has been completely overhauled this summer. It’s been a shake-up, but it’s also brought a breath of fresh air. This new group works well, with a coaching staff who know exactly where they’re heading, and that’s driving us forward. As for my status, it’s inevitably different because I’ve been here for four years and I’m getting older too! (laughs) Even though I’m only 27, I’m one of the most experienced players in the squad.
The squad underwent a major overhaul this summer. It was a shake-up, but it also brought a breath of fresh air
How would you describe the approach taken by Zoumana Camara and his coaching staff?
They’re incredibly demanding and meticulous about just about every aspect. Everything is done to ensure we’re in the best possible shape for the match, especially tactically, in terms of our build-up play and our defensive positioning. I think it helps us improve enormously. It’s thorough, rigorous work. What we practise during the week is 80–90% of what we face at the weekend; so it’s easier to feel confident and have the right tools at the right moment. The coach reached the very highest level as a player, so he’s someone who’s very demanding and who can only help us improve. You can also sense his coaching side, and that’s evident with the young players. He’s there to help them, to help them improve, and tomorrow, if he needs them, he won’t hesitate to play them, just like with Théo Chennahi, for example: he told him to work hard, and when he felt he was ready, he played him, and today, Théo is playing match after match.
It’s up to us to stay in the chasing position for as long as possible, and if there’s a sprint at the end of the championship, we’ll have to overtake them then
How do you feel about your season so far?
I feel like I’ve really hit my stride. As I said earlier, I needed to get into a rhythm, and with every match I play, I feel better and better and my performance keeps improving.
How do you view the team’s season, with its highs and lows, moments of hope and moments when you think it’s all over because of this somewhat chronic inconsistency?
Personally, I experience it differently from someone looking in from the outside because, when you look at our results from the outside, you think: ‘They’ve won, maybe they’ll get promoted’ or ‘They’ve lost, we won’t get promoted’. But for us, in the heat of the moment, we have to stay focused, tell ourselves we need to maintain emotional control and hang on until the very end. If we start getting carried away with every win and hanging our heads and telling ourselves it’s all over with every defeat, it’s difficult to make steady progress. So, I tell myself that this league is very tight and that every point we pick up could take us higher and higher up the table. If all the teams currently ahead of us win all their matches, it’s bound to be difficult, but it’s up to us to stay in the chasing pack for as long as possible, and if there’s a sprint finish at the end of the championship, we’ll have to overtake them then.
What do you think of Ligue 2, where you played a few years ago?
It’s a league that’s developing very well. Ligue 2 seems to me to be much more competitive and tighter than when I was last in this division. There are clubs that are much better organised, such as Rodez, for example, which now has a proper stadium and is a well-established club in this league. It seems to me that the standard has risen significantly over the last four or five years. The fact that many players from this league manage to make their mark in Ligue 1 shows that there is a lot of quality. There will certainly always be a gap compared to Ligue 1, even though, in my view, there are Ligue 2 players who would be perfectly capable of playing in Ligue 1 but who, through a lack of luck or opportunity, may never get the chance.
Ligue 2 seems to me to be much more competitive and tighter than when I was last in this division
What are the differences compared to Ligue 1?
These are two quite different leagues in terms of technique, tactics and physicality. When people say that in Ligue 2 the game is a bit more physical, that’s certainly true. In Ligue 1, the play is a bit more refined and strategic, although, on that last point, I feel that Ligue 2 is getting closer and closer to the top flight.
You’re one of the full-backs in Ligue 2 who pushes forward the most. Is that always a conscious choice on your part?
I think that’s one of the qualities MHSC signed me for four years ago. Now that I’m rediscovering the joy of playing and gradually getting back to my best, I’m also rediscovering that drive to push forward, even though, in the role the coach wants me to play, I’m perhaps less involved in attacking moves because he wants me to be more involved in bringing the ball out of defence. That said, I try to push forward as much as possible. That’s always been part of my philosophy and my style of play.
How have you changed over the last four years, and how do you look back on your time at MHSC?
I’ve learnt a lot; I’ve been through quite a few things that have helped me grow and develop, things that have toughened me up… Mentally, it also helped me put things into perspective because at times it was so tough that I had to step back and tell myself there were worse things in life and that I had to keep moving forward. It allowed me to see life differently, to find happiness in simple things, and it proved to me that I was mentally very strong. I’ve also got to know my body better, learnt what I should and shouldn’t do, what I should and shouldn’t eat… all those little things that are details but which, in the end, matter a lot. My best memory in Montpellier? My goal against Nice last season. It was a really special moment.
My best memory in Montpellier? My goal against Nice last season. It was a real highlight.
How are you approaching the match against Stade Lavallois this Friday?
They’re a team going through a tough patch. Naturally, with them coming to our ground, we don’t want to give them a lifeline. It’s almost a must to take all three points, especially at home where we’ve managed to stay solid of late. Laval are a struggling side but have some very good individual players, and they too will want to give it their all because, at some point, they need the points just as much as we do. It promises to be an interesting match to watch.
What can MHSC hope for as the season draws to a close?
To take whatever points we can. It’s up to us to take each match as it comes – even if that’s a bit of a cliché – and we’ll tally the points up at the end.
It’s up to us to stay in the chasing position for as long as possible, and if there’s a sprint at the end of the championship, we’ll have to overtake them then
A quick message to the fans to round things off…
I’d like to thank them, both for their support away from home and for the atmosphere they create at the stadium. With our relegation to Ligue 2, there are clubs where the fans might have given up, but they’re still right there. A big thank you to them, and I hope they’ll be with us until the end of the season – though I have no doubt they will be.
