Formal or informal? 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 anxiety over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, established teammates by using “tu” be regarded as disrespectful? Ultimately, the promising talent opted for caution and chose the more formal “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter from the veterans who instructed him not to be so silly; he was one of them 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 well-defined and appealing project.”
Almost five years later, Diarra is settled 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 endures but it is evident that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are practically unacquainted. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence suited to a player who led Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medal.
A Clear Project
Now that the groin issue that sidelined him for much of the opening months of the domestic season resolved, Diarra is on a mission to show exactly why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about the manager's standing as a gifted 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 realised he was very good, very strong in terms of strategy. He’s someone I know is aiding my development. And although our primary aim is reaching 40 points, European qualification is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Unified Environment
Outside, the cold winter gusts and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often depicted. Internally, things are much more welcoming. The environment is devoid of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where office workers are kept apart from first-team players. Diarra portrays the environment as “very organic” and praises Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“The coach always says to us that we have a familial bond here and we all support each other,” he says. “Each of us takes pride of each other.”
Freedom Within a Framework
If the organisation, discipline 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 use their initiative. He offers his engine room players complete licence to improvise and swap roles.
“Our manager establishes his tactics out within a framework but we have license to play within it,” says Diarra, who prefers to be deployed as a box-to-box No 8. “During matches that feels good. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a fantastic example.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is using a French interpreter but his English has progressed 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 tongue. He is fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in Guédiawaye near the Senegalese capital.
His precocious 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 manage myself.”
Diarra is now looking forward to playing in this summer’s World Cup. Given Senegal have been drawn in the same group as France, a emotional matchup 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 makes me proud to play for them.”
Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
