Ligue 2. Has SM Caen ever been so poorly ranked in winter? Yes, this is how he did it!

After its defeat at Ajaccio, a direct competitor for remaining in Ligue 2, SM Caen finds itself in the red zone, penultimate in the ranking. Rare have been the seasons where the Norman club was so poorly classified in the middle of winter. Focus on the outcomes of these difficult seasons.

By losing to Ajaccio (2-1) last Friday, SM Caen fell for the first time this season into the direct relegation zone, taking the uncomfortable place of their evening opponent. Stade Malherbe remains on a series of five consecutive defeats.

It is clear that the arrival of Bruno Baltazar in place of Nicolas Seube did not generate the psychological shock expected by the Mbappé clan. There is still almost half the season left to recover and avoid historic relegation. In the past, the SMC has already found itself relegated at the end of January… and it has always escaped.

A few months before the Blues’ first world title, Caen is in bad shape, 20th out of the 22 D2 teams. However, Malherbe aimed for an immediate return to the elite after a rather unfair relegation on the altar of the transition from D1 to 18 clubs.

But the season did not fit together well, for his first experience on a bench, the Argentinian Gabriel Calderon was fired in November, after an record of 4 wins, 5 draws and 9 defeats. “He had a particular playing philosophy, very energy-intensive. We did a lot of endurance work during the week and lacked freshness at the weekend.“, remembers Johan Gallon, who began his career under the orders of the South American. His teammate Jimmy Hébert adds: ‘He told me ‘don’t worry, we’ll be planes’. Three months later, we were planes but we no longer knew how to play football“,

Under the leadership of neo-coach Pascal Théault, Caen gave itself a little breathing room but relapsed in winter. At the beginning of February, with only 13 matches remaining, the Norman club was relegated. The specter of a double relegation hangs over the city of a hundred spires.

Players don’t go from very good to average in a few months, it’s more a mental problem than the quality of players. It’s the bad dynamic that has an impact. We must change the psychological approach to matches: accept playing less well and give your all to each action.

Johan Gallon, former SM Caen player (1997-2001) – current director of association activities

“We found bonds of solidarity between us which allowed us to win matchesremembers Johan Gallon, barely 20 years old at the time. When you have a team to play the leading roles and we find ourselves at the bottom of the championship, between ambitions and reality, there is a huge gap. It must be a total awareness“.

That year, “mutual aid, self-sacrifice, combativeness” had allowed the SMC to get back up in time. A series of six victories in seven games even put it back in the soft underbelly (9th in the end).

Another season where the red and blue people trembled: 2001-2002. During the summer, the club experienced a change of presidency, well, well… Guy Chambily hands over to Jean-François Fortin in a transition however much less complex than that of last summer, the two men getting along wonderfully. The offseason also sees Patrick Remy arrive on the bench, replacing Hervé Gauthier.

On the pitch, the team is off to a good start to the season. The gang of Dumas, Sarr, Watier and Bodmer won their first two matches, and despite numerous draws, remained in the race for promotion until the end of October. What followed was a terrible winter series of ten games without victories, including six defeats.

The SMC falls precipitously to 18th place… It remains there until the beginning of February. “When you have a string of bad results, individually, it’s harder. Your feet are trembling, you no longer ask for the ball, you lose your level”relates Jimmy Hébert, who spent a decade in red and blue.

Pride must take over, as does a sense of responsibility. We have no right to leave employees without a job tomorrow.

Jimmy Hébert, former SM Caen player (1996-2006)

In ten years, it is an understatement to say that he has experienced ups and downs at Malherbe. Often, the solution to getting out of negative spirals came from inside the locker room… and “good food between players“For the former captain of the SMC, the important thing is to have “a team of friends who get along well off the field. To achieve this, we must all be determined together. When executives lead by example, young people follow“.

In 2002, the turning point occurred before – or during – a match against Gueugnon, won 3-0. Subsequently, the Caennais had an almost faultless run (12 matches: 6 wins, 5 draws and only one defeat) to finish the season in 6th place in the standings.

However, Jimmy Hébert believes that the mindset of football players has evolved enormously since the period when he played. “Today’s football is much more individualistic than collective, we think about statistics, its image, contracts. We played for fun. In difficult times, you have to think first about where you are, not about your career plan.”.

Bruno Baltazar and the weed leaders can be reassured, Caen has already managed to get out of very complicated situations in January. They now have to find the keys to restart the winning machine, sustainably.