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 tempered by worry over the two French words for “you.”
Would addressing new, senior teammates by using “tu” be regarded as too familiar? Ultimately, the young midfielder played safe and chose the more formal “vous”. Cue wholesale laughter from the older players who told him not to be so silly; he was part of the group now.
“After I had 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.’ England's top flight 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 the club's training ground detailing why he ignored overtures from, among others, several top European clubs. His natural politeness remains but it is clear that the young Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence suited to a player who captained Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an AFCON championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
With the groin injury that kept him out for much of the opening months of the domestic season healed, 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 surprising decision but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s reputation as a talented youth coach.
“It came as no shock by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s able to achieve,” says Diarra. “Playing against his teams I realised he was very good, very strong tactically. He’s someone I know is aiding my development. And although our primary aim is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a realistic target this season.”
A Family Atmosphere
Outside, the cold winter gusts and heavy downpour makes the region look as bleak as it is often depicted. Internally, things are much more welcoming. The atmosphere is devoid of the type of tension found in certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra portrays the environment as “really natural” and praises Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“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 meticulous eye for detail, Le Bris also likes his players to use their initiative. He offers his engine room players full freedom to improvise and swap roles.
“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 freedom is so important. Granit, our skipper, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”
Path and Settlement
Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has progressed 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 in his youth in his hometown near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him combat the frustration of needing groin surgery followed by four months out of action last autumn. “Being injured so soon after arriving here was disheartening, 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 fills me with pride to play for them.”
Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
