Does the end of the football season mean the start of the pétanque season? (Laughs.) Honestly, there is no season to play it! But it’s true that when you have more free time, you become available to play it at any time. I love this sport and I enjoy playing the balls when I have a little time!
Do you play it with your teammates? Yes, it happens, with Téji (Savannah), Joe (Ferri), Sun’ (Bertaud). The best ? Ah, it’s Téji! He wants to bring us to play at his place in the Cité Gély, but some are reluctant to go. (Laughs.)
You shoot or you point ? Honestly, I like both. Afterwards, I adapt according to my partner. I am versatile, like on the field.
To return to football, you became the first player born in 21e century to have 100 starts in Ligue 1, what does that mean to you? It’s a nice number. That’s quite a few matches and years. So young, it proves that I work well every day, that I am progressing, that I am consistent in my performances. I’ve been here for almost five years now. I didn’t think so, but a season goes by very quickly! Except for this one which seemed long, because we were in danger for a long time and late in the year. We were not quickly maintained like in previous seasons… But even if it was complicated this year, there was no point of no return in the group or any huge confusion. Today, joining the MHSC group is very easy. Everyone makes you feel comfortable, there is no group of young or old.
For me, it’s satisfying when I recover ten, fifteen balls in a match or when I can save a goal action. For my taste, it’s less highlighted, but it’s worth a goal!
Compared to your debut which we were talking about, you changed position, becoming the sentinel so sought after by the club. Do you enjoy playing lower down the pitch? When I was little, I always played in this position, or even lower. It is also the consequence of the evolution of playing systems. When I arrived as a professional, we played more with five at the back and two or three midfielders. This gave us more freedom knowing that there was more security behind it. There, with four defenders, we must ensure coverage and ball losses. The change in system changes what is asked of me. Since I was little, I have liked to defend, to be a little further back. For me, it’s satisfying when I recover ten, fifteen balls in a match or when I can save a goal action. For my taste, it’s less highlighted, but it’s worth a goal!
Why is your midfield association with Téji Savanier and Jordan Ferri effective? Over the years, we have managed to create automatisms and affinities. We no longer need to talk to each other to find out who goes where. We manage to work according to each other, and everyone knows how the other two move. We know that when Téji goes down, one goes up, when Jo goes to the side, one takes the axis. When you’re an opponent, it’s complicated to know what Téji is going to do with the ball. But in certain phases of the game, we can guess when he is going to come down to get the ball or go to one side. When we’re with him, it’s easier, but to see him in training, when I’m in front of him, his movements, especially with the ball, are hard to read. Off the field, the three of us have a very good friendship. We know that if one or the other has a need and we call each other, the other will necessarily answer.
Are you talking about doing the Olympic Games together with Téji Savanier, exactly? Yes because, inevitably, it’s coming. He spoke to me about his experience, even if it was not a normal Games with the restrictions due to Covid-19, like Arnaud Nordin and Modibo Sagnan who competed in them the same year. If we get to do them together, that would be incredible! Going to the selection with a teammate, a friend, it’s always incredible. Participating is a unique opportunity in your career with all the selection criteria. Competing in the Olympics would be, for me, a great reward. And above all, it’s a unique opportunity. Between the age requirement and the clubs which often refuse to allow players to participate, it is very hard to do two Olympics. What’s more, this is happening in France, it makes you want to give your all to be called up. Unfortunately, during the only U23 meeting of the season, I injured my calf. Thierry Henry hasn’t called me yet (interview carried out before Lens-MHSC, Editor’s note) …I hope to speak with him when the list comes out.
What do the Olympic Games mean to you? From an outside point of view, football is not given much prominence there. When you’re a footballer, you think more about playing in a World Cup or a continental trophy. But any opportunity to represent France and win a medal is incredible. Personally, I followed the exploits of the greatest like Teddy Riner, who won countless medals. Renaud Lavillenie on the pole vault was also memorable.
If you compete in the Olympics, which athlete do you dream of meeting in the Olympic village? There are many ! In tennis, if they do them, there is Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic. On the basketball side, there is the United States team, but also many players who play in the NBA. On every street corner, there is a sportsman that you dream of meeting.
Last summer, with the same generation as the one who will make the Olympics, you were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Ukraine during the Euro Espoirs (1-3). An inevitably disappointing performance with the team lined up (Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Lucas Chevalier, Manu Koné…). Can you bounce back at the Olympics? Yes, it was a big disappointment to go out so early in this competition, we have said it many times. I think there was a mistake in that match. It happens. Unfortunately, it came in a match where there are no second chances. Afterwards, we know very well that with the generation we have, and which will be reinforced by three players who will come down from the A, or at least who will be older, that could make a very good team.
Two of your former partners at the MHSC training center, Maxime Estève (Burnley) and Elye Wahi (Lens), could be part of this team. What would it mean for you to compete in this competition with them? Starting in Montpellier and finishing at the Olympic Games with them, in Paris, that would be incredible! We played together among the youth at MHSC, we are still in contact. If we can find ourselves in the same selection to represent our country, we will be proud to do this Olympics together.
I wanted to be an executive in Montpellier before leaving. I wanted to prove here before going elsewhere.
You started in the first team before these two players, yet you are still here while they have left. Despite requests last summer and winter, you remained in Grammont. Why this choice not to move from La Paillade? I had the ambition to leave having established myself in this team, by being an indisputable starter, by having a certain experience and this status of confirmed Ligue 1 player by playing one match after another. I don’t like this term, but I wanted to be an executive in the club before leaving. I wanted to prove here before going elsewhere. And regarding this season, I did not want to leave before the end, because I wanted to help the club to maintain itself.
Could playing the Olympic Games be part of the negotiations if you ever receive offers to leave Montpellier? That’s for sure, because it’s in the middle of the transfer window… When there are international competitions like the Olympics, and in addition there is also the Euro, we know very well that the transfer market spills over into the start of any championship. So, obviously, this desire to compete in the Olympic Games will come into account if I have to leave here.
THE “ Eh eh ! Ohhhhhhh » by Michel Der Zakarian will you miss them if you leave Hérault? Obviously, there are a lot of players and habits that would change, and that would be strange to me… With the coach, it hasn’t changed from the start, everyone knows what the other expects of them. Since his return, he has taught me a lot about trying to play forward as much as possible. Afterwards, I’m exaggerating, but leaving here at all would be strange to me, because I’ve been here for a little less than ten years. My family lives about an hour and a half away. The day I leave, it will be complicated, because I have only known Montpellier. Here, I know everyone. So, arriving in an environment where I don’t know anyone… It won’t be easy, it will be very special. It will also be complicated for my parents to see their son go perhaps very, very far away.
Which championship do you dream of? When I was little, I watched La Liga a lot, because it was the era of the great Barça under Guardiola. It educated me about this championship, but I wasn’t just looking at Spain. I remember searching through all the countries to always find a match to watch. I am not closed to any championship!
France’s pre-list for the Olympics soon to be announced
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