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 mixed with anxiety over the two French words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, established teammates by using “tu” be considered disrespectful? Ultimately, the promising talent 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 part of the group now.
“Once I received 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 dream of mine and the coach presented me with a clear and interesting project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is settled in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light detailing why he ignored overtures from, among others, Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa and Leeds. His innate courtesy endures but it is evident that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the self-assurance suited to a player who led Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an AFCON championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
Now that the groin issue that sidelined him for much of the opening months of the league campaign 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 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. “Playing against his teams I realised he was very good, very strong in terms of strategy. He’s someone I know is helping my game progress. And although our first objective is reaching 40 points, European qualification is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Unified Environment
Externally, the cold winter gusts and driving rain makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often depicted. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The environment is free of the type of tension found in certain clubs where office workers are kept apart from Premier League squads. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and praises Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“The coach always says 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 immense effort supporting Sunderland’s defensive organization are a testament to 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 license to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a box-to-box No 8. “During matches that is empowering. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a massive influence and a superb role model.”
Path and Settlement
Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has advanced to the point where he can grasp most questions. He is now focusing on acquiring the vocabulary to also answer them, which would be his third language. He is fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in his hometown near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him combat the disappointment of needing an operation 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 handle the situation.”
Diarra is now anticipating 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.”
Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I’ve adapted very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
