Vous or Tu? It reveals much about Habib Diarra that his delight at being elevated from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the senior squad was tempered by worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, established teammates by using “tu” be regarded as too familiar? Ultimately, the young midfielder opted for caution and selected the more formal “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter 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.’ The Premier League was always a dream of mine and the coach outlined for me a clear and interesting 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, Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa and Leeds. His natural politeness remains but it is evident that the young Senegal international and uncertainty are practically unacquainted. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence befitting a player who led Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an AFCON championship trophy.
A Clear Project
Now that the groin issue that sidelined him for much of the opening months of the league campaign 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 surprising decision but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’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. “Playing against his teams I realised he was very good, very strong tactically. He’s someone I know is helping my game progress. And although our first objective is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a realistic target this season.”
A Unified Environment
Outside, the cold winter gusts and driving rain makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often stereotyped. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The atmosphere is free of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“The coach always says to us that we’re like a family 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 meticulous eye for detail, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his engine room players full freedom to improvise 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 box-to-box No 8. “Out on the pitch that is empowering. 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 speaking through a French interpreter but his English has advanced to the point where he can understand most questions. He is now focusing on acquiring the vocabulary to also answer them, which would be his third tongue. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in Guédiawaye near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him combat the frustration of needing an operation 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 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. “I have no remorse. 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.”
