Vous or Tu? It reveals much about the young Senegalese star that his joy at being promoted from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the senior squad was accompanied by worry over the two distinct words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, senior teammates by using “tu” be considered too familiar? In the end, the promising talent opted for caution and selected the more polite “vous”. Cue widespread amusement 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 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 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 remains but it is clear that the 22-year-old Senegal international and doubt are practically unacquainted. Diarra carries himself with the self-assurance suited to a player who captained Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an Africa Cup of Nations championship trophy.
A Clear Project
Now that the groin issue that kept him out for much of the first half of the league campaign resolved, Diarra is on a quest to demonstrate precisely 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 Régis Le Bris’s standing 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 understood he was very good, very strong tactically. He’s someone I know is helping my game progress. 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 chilly February wind and driving rain 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 office workers are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“Our manager repeatedly states to us that we’re like a family here and we all support each other,” he says. “We’re all proud of each other.”
Liberty and Structure
If the structure, rigor and sheer hard yards underpinning Sunderland’s out-of-possession shape are a proof of the head coach’s meticulous eye for detail, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his midfielders full freedom to be creative and swap roles.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a framework but we have license to play within it,” says Diarra, who prefers to be deployed as a all-action No 8. “Out on the pitch that feels good. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a fantastic example.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is using 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 early maturity helped him combat the frustration of needing an operation followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Being injured so soon after arriving here was frustrating, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to handle the situation.”
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. “I have no remorse. I was born in Senegal; it makes me proud to play for them.”
Comparable feelings apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
