Vous or Tu? It reveals much about Habib Diarra that his delight at being elevated from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was mixed with anxiety over the two French words for “you.”
Would addressing new, senior teammates by using “tu” be regarded as too familiar? In the end, the young midfielder opted for caution and selected the more polite “vous”. Cue widespread amusement from the veterans who told him not to be so ridiculous; he was part of the group now.
“Once I received the first call with the coach, I reflected and said to my parents: ‘Sunderland’s where I want to be; that’s where I want to play.’ The Premier League was always a ambition of mine and the coach presented me with a well-defined and appealing project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is sitting in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light detailing why he turned down offers from, among others, Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa and Leeds. His natural politeness endures but it is apparent that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the confidence befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an AFCON championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
Now that the groin issue that sidelined him for much of the opening months of the domestic season healed, Diarra is on a quest to show exactly why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s surprising decision but he knew all about the manager's standing as a gifted youth coach.
“It came as no shock by the coach’s ability because I already knew what he’s able to achieve,” says Diarra. “Playing against 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 primary aim is reaching 40 points, European qualification is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Family Atmosphere
Externally, the cold winter gusts and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as grim as it is often stereotyped. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The atmosphere is free of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra describes the environment as “very organic” and praises Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“Our manager repeatedly states to us that we have a familial bond here and we all fight for each other,” he says. “Each of us takes pride of each other.”
Liberty and Structure
If the organisation, discipline and sheer hard yards underpinning Sunderland’s defensive organization are a proof of the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his midfielders complete licence to be creative and interchange positions.
“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 all-action No 8. “Out on the pitch that feels good. That autonomy is so important. Granit, our skipper, helps us a lot. He’s a really big player 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 grasp most questions. He is now concentrating on acquiring the vocabulary to also answer them, which would be his third language. He is fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in his hometown near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him combat the frustration of needing groin surgery followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Getting hurt so soon after arriving here was frustrating, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to handle the situation.”
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 emotional matchup awaits the former Les Bleus under-21 midfielder. “I enjoyed representing for France but my inner feeling prevailed,” says Diarra. “There’s no regrets. I was born in Senegal; it makes me proud to play for them.”
Comparable feelings apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
