Formal or informal? It speaks volumes about the young Senegalese star that his joy at being elevated from Strasbourg’s Under-17s 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? Ultimately, the young midfielder played safe and selected the more formal “vous”. Cue widespread amusement from the older players who instructed him not to be so ridiculous; he was one of them now.
“After I had 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.’ England's top flight was always a ambition of mine and the coach presented me with a well-defined and appealing 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 natural politeness endures but it is apparent that the young Senegal international and doubt are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the confidence befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco clutching an Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medal.
A Defined Vision
With the groin injury that sidelined him for much of the first half 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 queried Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s reputation as a talented youth coach.
“I haven’t been surprised by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s capable of,” says Diarra. “Playing against his teams I understood 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, European qualification is certainly a realistic target this season.”
A Family Atmosphere
Outside, the cold winter gusts and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as grim as it is often stereotyped. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The atmosphere is free of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where administrative staff are kept apart from first-team players. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“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.”
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 engine room players complete licence to improvise and swap roles.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a structure but we have license to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a box-to-box No 8. “During matches that feels good. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is using a French interpreter but his English has progressed 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 proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in his hometown near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him combat the frustration of needing groin surgery 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. “I have no remorse. I was born in Senegal; it makes me proud to play for them.”
Comparable feelings apply to Sunderland. “I’ve adapted very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
