Vous or Tu? It says a lot about the young Senegalese star that his delight at being promoted from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the first team was mixed with worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, older teammates by using “tu” be regarded as too familiar? Ultimately, the promising talent played safe and chose the more formal “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter from the veterans 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 reflected 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 goal 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 ignored overtures from, among others, several top European clubs. His innate courtesy remains but it is apparent that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence befitting a player who led Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an AFCON championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
Now that the groin issue that kept him out for much of the opening months of the league campaign resolved, 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 queried Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s standing as a gifted youth coach.
“It came as no shock by the coach’s capabilities 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
Outside, the cold winter gusts and heavy downpour makes the region look as grim as it is often depicted. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The environment is free of the type of strain found in certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra portrays the environment as “very organic” and commends Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“The coach always says 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 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 use their initiative. He offers his midfielders full freedom to improvise and interchange positions.
“Our manager establishes his tactics out within a framework 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 feels good. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, helps us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”
Path and Settlement
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 language. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in his hometown 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 frustrating, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to manage myself.”
Diarra is now anticipating playing in this summer’s global tournament. 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. “I have no remorse. 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 am really comfortable here.”
