Vous or Tu? It says a lot about Habib Diarra that his delight at being elevated from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was tempered by anxiety over the two distinct words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, older teammates by using “tu” be considered disrespectful? Ultimately, the young midfielder played safe and chose the more polite “vous”. Cue wholesale laughter from the older players who instructed 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.’ England's top flight was always a dream of mine and the coach outlined for me a well-defined and appealing project.”
Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is settled in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light detailing why he turned down offers from, among others, several top European clubs. His natural politeness endures but it is apparent 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 Defined Vision
With the groin injury that kept him out for much of the first half of the domestic season healed, Diarra is on a quest to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Analysts in France and Senegal queried Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s standing as a talented youth coach.
“It came as no shock 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
Externally, the chilly February wind and driving rain makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often stereotyped. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The environment 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 “very organic” and praises Le Bris’s role in its creation.
“Our manager repeatedly states to us that we’re like a family here and we all fight for each other,” he says. “We’re all proud of each other.”
Liberty and Structure
If the structure, rigor and immense effort supporting Sunderland’s out-of-possession shape are a testament to the head coach’s meticulous eye for detail, Le Bris also likes his players to use their initiative. He offers his midfielders complete licence to improvise and interchange positions.
“Our manager establishes 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. “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 fantastic example.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has advanced 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 proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in Guédiawaye near Dakar.
His early maturity helped him deal with the disappointment of needing an operation followed by four months out of action last autumn. “Being injured so soon after arriving here was disheartening, 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 enjoyed representing 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.”
