Vous or Tu? It reveals much about the young Senegalese star that his joy at being elevated from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was accompanied by worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, senior teammates by using “tu” be considered disrespectful? Ultimately, the young midfielder opted for caution and chose the more formal “vous”. This prompted widespread amusement from the veterans who told him not to be so ridiculous; 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 ambition 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 the club's training ground detailing why he turned down offers from, among others, several top European clubs. His innate courtesy endures but it is evident that the young Senegal international and doubt are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the self-assurance befitting a player who led 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
Now that the groin issue 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 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 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 first objective is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Family Atmosphere
Externally, the cold winter gusts and driving rain makes the region look as bleak as it is often stereotyped. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The environment is free of the type of strain notable at certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra portrays the environment as “very organic” and praises Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“Our manager repeatedly states 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.”
Liberty and Structure
If the structure, rigor and immense effort 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 be creative and interchange positions.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a framework but we have freedom to play within it,” says Diarra, who prefers to be deployed as a box-to-box No 8. “Out on the pitch that is empowering. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, helps us a lot. He’s a massive influence and a fantastic example.”
Path and Settlement
Diarra is speaking through 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 fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in Guédiawaye near the Senegalese capital.
His precocious maturity helped him deal with the frustration of needing an operation followed by four months on the sidelines 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 loved playing for France but my heart spoke,” 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 am really comfortable here.”
