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 senior squad was mixed with worry over the two French words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, established teammates by using “tu” be seen as disrespectful? Ultimately, the young midfielder played safe and selected the more formal “vous”. Cue widespread amusement 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 sat down 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 outlined for me a well-defined and appealing project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is sitting in an office at the club's training ground explaining why he ignored overtures from, among others, several top European clubs. His natural politeness remains but it is evident that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts 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 winners’ medal.
A Defined Vision
Now that the groin issue that sidelined him for much of the first half of the domestic season resolved, Diarra is on a quest to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s record £30m signing last summer. Analysts in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about the manager's reputation 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. “Facing his teams I understood 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 Unified Environment
Outside, the cold winter gusts and driving rain makes the region look as grim as it is often depicted. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The atmosphere is free of the type of strain found in certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra portrays the environment as “really natural” and praises Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“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 think for themselves. He offers his engine room players full freedom to improvise and swap roles.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a framework but we have license to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a all-action No 8. “Out on the pitch that is empowering. That freedom is so important. Granit, our skipper, 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 advanced to the point where he can understand most questions. He is now concentrating on acquiring the vocabulary to also answer them, which would be his third tongue. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in Guédiawaye near Dakar.
His early maturity helped him combat 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 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 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 adapted very well,” he says. “I feel really comfortable here.”
