Vous or Tu? It says a lot about Habib Diarra that his delight at being promoted from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the first team was mixed with worry over the two French words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, older teammates by using “tu” be regarded as too familiar? Ultimately, the young midfielder played safe and selected the more formal “vous”. Cue 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 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 clear and interesting project.”
Almost five years later, Diarra is sitting in an office at the club's training ground detailing why he turned down offers from, among others, several top European clubs. His natural politeness remains but it is apparent that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the self-assurance befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an Africa Cup of Nations championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
With the groin injury that kept him out for much of the first half of the domestic season healed, Diarra is on a mission to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s record £30m signing last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s surprising decision but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s standing as a talented 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 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, European qualification is certainly a realistic target this season.”
A Unified Environment
Externally, the chilly February wind and driving rain makes the region look as bleak as it is often depicted. Internally, things are considerably warmer. The environment is free of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra portrays the environment as “very organic” and commends Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“Our manager repeatedly states 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 testament to the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to use their initiative. He offers his midfielders full freedom to improvise and interchange positions.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a structure but we have freedom to play within it,” says Diarra, who prefers to be deployed as a all-action No 8. “Out on the pitch that is empowering. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, helps us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is using 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 in his youth in Guédiawaye near the Senegalese capital.
His precocious maturity helped him deal with the disappointment of needing groin surgery followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Getting hurt so soon after arriving here was disheartening, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to manage myself.”
Diarra is now looking forward to playing in this summer’s World Cup. Given Senegal have been drawn in the same group as France, a emotional matchup awaits the former Les Bleus under-21 midfielder. “I loved playing for France but my heart spoke,” 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 feel really comfortable here.”
