Vous or Tu? It reveals much about Habib Diarra that his delight at being promoted from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the senior squad was mixed with worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, established teammates by using “tu” be considered disrespectful? In the end, 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 ridiculous; he was part of the group 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 presented me with a well-defined and appealing project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is settled in an office at the club's training ground explaining why he ignored overtures from, among others, Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa and Leeds. His innate courtesy remains but it is evident that the 22-year-old Senegal international and doubt are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an AFCON championship trophy.
A Clear Project
With the groin injury that kept him out 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. Analysts in France and Senegal queried Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s reputation as a gifted youth coach.
“I haven’t been surprised by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s able to achieve,” says Diarra. “Facing 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 Unified Environment
Outside, the cold winter gusts and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often depicted. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The atmosphere is devoid of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where administrative staff are kept apart from Premier League squads. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“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.”
Freedom Within a Framework
If the structure, rigor and immense effort supporting Sunderland’s out-of-possession shape 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 complete licence 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. “During matches that is empowering. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, helps 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 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 tongue. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in Guédiawaye near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him deal with the frustration of needing an operation 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 poignant reunion 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 adapted very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
