Finishing the LFL Days 2024 with a score of 1-1, Team Du Sud now turns its focus to the final regular-season matches. Despite being at the bottom of the standings, the team is now only one victory away from a potential qualification for the next stage of the LFL. In this exclusive interview, HONOR, the team's starting support, discusses his impressions of the LFL and his hopes for the future.
Team Du Sud celebrating after a victory against Solary. Photo: Elliot Le Corre
| You have just won an important victory against Solary, how do you feel after this one?
Honor: "Happy, hyped but above all relieved because if we'd lost, given that we're a team that works on confidence, I think it would have been complicated to get back up. This win is very reassuring and we're very happy."
| You have taken quite a few victories lately, how did you break out of that losing streak?
Honor: "We started 0-4 and it was complicated. But what was good about it was that we didn't start to get tilted, we knew we could win against anyone and there was always hope. We didn't tell ourselves that there was a gap too big and that it was over, and we really stuck to that. We worked hard on our scrims and the win over Gentle Mates showed us that we could win against anyone, and it's great that it worked today."
| Being the only player remaining from last year, you're a bit like the team's French prodigy. Having experienced the promotion and now a split in LFL, how do you feel about this rise?
Honor: "I'm very happy and proud to be able to continue with the team. I'm really a fan of teams that can keep as many players as possible, like T1 for example. They've been together for 2 years now and it's been a great adventure. I'm delighted that they're trusting me to continue and even if things aren't going so well yet, I'm not giving up hope and we're still making progress."
| Do you perceive a big difference in level between Division 2 and LFL? Are you happy with your personal level?
Honor: "I don't think there's a big difference in the level. The scrims are the same as last year, nothing has changed in my day-to-day life. But it's true that in official matches it's more intense because the teams are better and there are all the details that weren't there in Div 2. It's a step up and I don't feel like an impostor and I'm happy with my game."
| Have you played on a big stage before? How do you feel about Nice so far?
Honor: "My biggest stage was the Coupe de France against GO and that was about 1000 people. Now it's 3 times bigger but there's still the same pressure because you can see everyone and that has quite an effect."
| Is everything going well with the TDS fans? Have you had time to interact with them?
Honor: "We're going to go and see them later. We felt it, you can see that in the crowd it's all blue, our colors, but even every day I feel it because when we were 0-4, I was starting to feel sorry for them and there wasn't a single person who came to insult me by message and they support us and I'm happy that we can give them another win, to thank them for coming."
| How do you feel about the current level of the team? Are you confident about reaching the playoffs?
Honor: "It's going to be tense, we need to win a lot, at least 2/3 of the remaining matches. It's possible because, in my opinion, we can win against anyone and I'm confident, but we must keep working hard because we have the level. We just need to prove it in official matches."
| Coldraa is one of the latest members to have joined the team. Do you get along well with him?
Honor: "It's true that he was recruited late but personally I chose him over another ADC from a big league because I think he has a lot of potential and I saw straight away that even though he's a rookie, he wants to work hard, and he often questions himself. So, I really like having someone I can talk to and work with every day, like I did with Matias last year. I know that he's not going to be toxic, that there won't be any blame, and that we'll challenge each other and make progress over time."
| Do you feel like you still have things to work on? Is the coaching staff helping you well?
Honor: "Yes, I've got things to work on, that's for sure. There's a lot of exchange and I suggest things, it's like coaching yourself and everyone helps each other. The coach listens, everything is considered and that's nice."
| Do you feel comfortable working with veterans like TynX and Febiven, who must have quite a big impact on the team? Do you also manage to have your own voice in the team?
Honor: "They're experienced, and they've given me a few things I didn't have. But what's nice is that even I can bring things to them, and they don't get defensive and always consider what we say. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes they are, and I only get the good side of their experience."
| How are the scrims going now and are the current results representative?
Honor: "The results aren't representative at all because, in scrims, I think we must have a win rate of around 60%, which is much better than in official matches. There are times when we play very well, and others very badly, but we can see that we're making progress. We had some big weaknesses in the early game, and we've worked on that and it's much better, but it's not there yet. But we're making progress and that's what I'm pleased about."
| Do you have any final words for the fans?
Honor: "Thanks for all the support, even when we're at our worst, they're always there to help us. Stay the way you are, and we'll try to bring you lots of wins."
Photo Credit : Elliot Le Corre
