Formal or informal? 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 anxiety over the two distinct words for “you.”
Would addressing new, older teammates by using “tu” be seen as disrespectful? In the end, the young midfielder played safe and chose the more formal “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter from the veterans who instructed 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.’ England's top flight was always a ambition of mine and the coach outlined for me a clear and interesting project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is sitting in an office at the club's training ground detailing why he ignored overtures from, among others, Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa and Leeds. His innate courtesy endures but it is clear that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the confidence suited to a player who captained Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an Africa Cup of Nations championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
With the groin injury that kept him out for much of the opening months of the league campaign resolved, Diarra is on a quest 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 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 in terms of strategy. He’s someone I know is helping my game progress. And although our primary aim is reaching 40 points, European qualification is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Family Atmosphere
Outside, the chilly February wind and heavy downpour makes the region look as bleak as it is often depicted. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The environment is free of the type of strain notable at certain clubs where office workers are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“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 organisation, discipline and sheer hard yards 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 full freedom to be creative and swap roles.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a framework but we have freedom to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a all-action No 8. “During matches that feels good. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”
Path and Settlement
Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has progressed to the point where he can grasp most questions. He is now concentrating on acquiring the language skills to also answer them, which would be his third language. He is fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in Guédiawaye near Dakar.
His precocious maturity helped him combat the disappointment of needing an operation followed by four months out of action 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 looking forward to 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 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.”
