Vous or Tu? It speaks volumes about the young Senegalese star that his elation at being promoted from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the senior squad was tempered by worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, established teammates by using “tu” be seen as too familiar? In the end, the young midfielder played safe and selected the more polite “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter from the older players who told him not to be so silly; 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.’ England's top flight was always a ambition of mine and the coach presented me with a well-defined and appealing project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is sitting in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light explaining why he turned down offers from, among others, several top European clubs. His natural politeness endures but it is evident that the young Senegal international and doubt are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence suited to a player who captained Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medal.
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 quest to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal queried Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about the manager's standing as a talented youth coach.
“It came as no shock by the coach’s ability because I already knew what he’s capable of,” 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, European qualification is certainly a realistic target this season.”
A Family Atmosphere
Externally, the cold winter gusts and driving rain makes the region look as grim as it is often depicted. Internally, things are much more welcoming. The environment is devoid of the type of tension found in certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra portrays the environment as “really natural” and praises Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“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 underpinning Sunderland’s out-of-possession shape are a proof of the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his midfielders full freedom to improvise and interchange positions.
“Our manager establishes 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. “Out on the pitch that is empowering. That autonomy 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 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 language skills to also answer them, which would be his third language. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in his hometown near the Senegalese capital.
His early maturity helped him deal with the disappointment of needing groin surgery 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 manage myself.”
Diarra is now anticipating 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 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.”
