Vous or Tu? It reveals much about the young Senegalese star that his joy at being promoted from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was accompanied by worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, older teammates by using “tu” be seen as too familiar? In the end, the promising talent opted for caution and chose 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.
“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.’ England's top flight was always a dream of mine and the coach outlined for me a clear and interesting project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is settled in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light explaining 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 uncertainty are practically unacquainted. Diarra carries himself with the confidence befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an AFCON championship trophy.
A Clear Project
Now that the groin issue that kept him out for much of the opening months of the domestic season resolved, Diarra is on a quest to show exactly why he agreed to become Sunderland’s record £30m signing last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal questioned 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 understood 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 Family Atmosphere
Externally, 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 tension found in certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra portrays the environment as “very organic” and praises Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“Our manager repeatedly states to us that we have a familial bond here and we all support each other,” he says. “Each of us takes pride of each other.”
Freedom Within a Framework
If the structure, rigor and immense effort supporting 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 complete licence 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. “During matches that is empowering. That autonomy is so important. Granit, our skipper, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has progressed to the point where he can understand most questions. He is now focusing on acquiring the language skills to also answer them, which would be his third tongue. He is fluent 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 an operation 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 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 emotional matchup awaits the former Les Bleus under-21 midfielder. “I enjoyed representing for France but my heart spoke,” says Diarra. “I have no remorse. I was born in Senegal; it fills me with pride to play for them.”
Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I feel really comfortable here.”
