Vous or Tu? It says a lot about Habib Diarra that his delight at being elevated from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the senior squad was mixed with worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, older teammates by using “tu” be considered too familiar? In the end, the young midfielder played safe and chose the more formal “vous”. This prompted widespread amusement from the older players who instructed him not to be so silly; he was part of the group now.
“Once I received the first call with the coach, I sat down and said to my parents: ‘Sunderland’s where I want to be; that’s where I want to play.’ England's top flight was always a ambition of mine and the coach presented me with a clear and interesting project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is sitting in an office at the club's training ground explaining why he turned down offers from, among others, several top European clubs. His natural politeness remains but it is evident that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence suited to a player who captained Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an AFCON championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
Now that the groin issue that kept him out for much of the first half of the domestic season resolved, Diarra is on a quest to show exactly why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Analysts in France and Senegal queried Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about the manager's reputation as a talented youth coach.
“I haven’t been surprised by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s capable of,” says Diarra. “Facing his teams I understood he was very good, very strong tactically. He’s someone I know is aiding my development. And although our first objective is reaching 40 points, European qualification is certainly a realistic target this season.”
A Unified Environment
Externally, the cold winter gusts and heavy downpour makes the region look as bleak as it is often depicted. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The environment is free of the type of strain found in certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra portrays the environment as “very organic” and commends Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“The coach always says to us that we’re like a family here and we all support each other,” he says. “We’re all proud of each other.”
Freedom Within a Framework
If the structure, rigor and sheer hard yards underpinning Sunderland’s defensive organization are a testament to the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his engine room players complete licence to be creative and swap roles.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a structure but we have license to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a all-action No 8. “Out on the pitch that is empowering. That autonomy is so important. Granit, our skipper, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is using a French interpreter but his English has advanced to the point where he can grasp most questions. He is now concentrating on acquiring the language skills to also answer them, which would be his third language. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in Guédiawaye near the Senegalese capital.
His early maturity helped him deal with the frustration of needing groin surgery followed by four months out of action last autumn. “Getting hurt so soon after arriving here was disheartening, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to handle the situation.”
Diarra is now anticipating playing in this summer’s global tournament. Given Senegal have been drawn in the same group as France, a emotional matchup awaits the former Les Bleus under-21 midfielder. “I loved playing for France but my inner feeling prevailed,” says Diarra. “I have no remorse. I was born in Senegal; it makes me proud to play for them.”
Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
