Vous or Tu? It says a lot about Habib Diarra that his elation at being elevated from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was accompanied by anxiety over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, senior teammates by using “tu” be considered too familiar? In the end, the young midfielder played safe and selected the more formal “vous”. This prompted widespread amusement from the older players who instructed him not to be so ridiculous; he was one of them now.
“After I had 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 well-defined and appealing project.”
Almost five years later, Diarra is sitting in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light explaining why he turned down offers from, among others, Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa and Leeds. His natural politeness remains but it is clear that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medal.
A Clear Project
Now that the groin issue that sidelined him for much of the first half of the league campaign resolved, Diarra is on a mission to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Analysts in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s standing as a gifted youth coach.
“It came as no shock by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s able to achieve,” says Diarra. “Facing his teams I understood he was very good, very strong in terms of strategy. He’s someone I know is aiding my development. And although our first objective is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Unified Environment
Outside, the chilly February wind and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often stereotyped. Internally, things are considerably warmer. The atmosphere is free of the type of strain found in certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and praises Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“The coach always says to us that we’re like a family here and we all support each other,” he says. “Each of us takes pride of each other.”
Liberty and Structure
If the structure, rigor and immense effort underpinning Sunderland’s out-of-possession shape 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 improvise and interchange positions.
“Our manager establishes his tactics out within a structure but we have freedom to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a box-to-box No 8. “Out on the pitch that feels good. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a massive influence and a superb role model.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has advanced to the point where he can understand most questions. He is now concentrating on acquiring the vocabulary to also answer them, which would be his third language. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in his hometown near Dakar.
His early maturity helped him deal with the disappointment of needing an operation followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Being injured so soon after arriving here was disheartening, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to manage myself.”
Diarra is now looking forward to playing in this summer’s global tournament. Given Senegal have been drawn in the same group as France, a poignant reunion awaits the former Les Bleus under-21 midfielder. “I enjoyed representing for France but my heart spoke,” says Diarra. “There’s no regrets. I was born in Senegal; it fills me with pride to play for them.”
Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I’ve adapted very well,” he says. “I feel really comfortable here.”
