Vous or Tu? It says a lot about Habib Diarra that his elation at being elevated from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the first team was accompanied by worry over the two French words for “you.”
Would addressing new, senior teammates by using “tu” be regarded as disrespectful? In the end, the promising talent played safe and selected the more polite “vous”. Cue wholesale laughter from the veterans who told 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 sitting 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 innate courtesy remains but it is apparent that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the self-assurance befitting 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 sidelined him for much of the opening months of the domestic season healed, Diarra is on a mission to show exactly why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s surprising decision but he knew all about the manager's standing as a talented youth coach.
“I haven’t been surprised by the coach’s ability because I already knew what he’s capable of,” says Diarra. “Playing against 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 first objective is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Family Atmosphere
Externally, the chilly February wind and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often stereotyped. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The environment is free of the type of strain found in certain clubs where office workers are kept apart from Premier League squads. 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. “We’re all proud of each other.”
Freedom Within a Framework
If the organisation, discipline and sheer hard yards supporting Sunderland’s defensive organization are a proof of the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to use their initiative. He offers his engine room players 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 favors playing as a box-to-box No 8. “During matches that feels good. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a massive influence and a superb role model.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is using a French interpreter but his English has progressed 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 fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in his hometown near Dakar.
His early maturity helped him deal with 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 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 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 fills me with pride to play for them.”
Comparable feelings apply to Sunderland. “I’ve adapted very well,” he says. “I feel really comfortable here.”
