Vous or Tu? It reveals much about the young Senegalese star that his joy at being promoted from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was mixed with anxiety over the two French words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, older teammates by using “tu” be regarded as disrespectful? In the end, the promising talent opted for caution and chose the more polite “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter from the older players who told him not to be so ridiculous; he was one of them 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 outlined for me 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 clear that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are practically unacquainted. 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 Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medal.
A Clear Project
Now that the groin issue that kept him out for much of the first half of the domestic season resolved, Diarra is on a quest to demonstrate precisely 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 the manager'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 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, a place in Europe is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Unified Environment
Externally, the chilly February wind and driving rain makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often depicted. Internally, things are considerably warmer. The atmosphere is free of the type of strain found in certain clubs where administrative staff are kept apart from first-team players. Diarra describes the environment as “very organic” and commends 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 structure, rigor and immense effort underpinning Sunderland’s defensive organization are a testament to the head coach’s meticulous eye for detail, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his midfielders full freedom to improvise and swap roles.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a framework but we have freedom to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a all-action No 8. “Out on the pitch that feels good. That freedom is so important. Granit, our skipper, helps us a lot. He’s a really big player and a fantastic example.”
Path and Settlement
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 proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in Guédiawaye near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him combat the frustration of needing groin surgery followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Being injured 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.”
Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I feel really comfortable here.”
