'We are a family unit here': Habib Diarra revels in good times at Sunderland.

Vous or Tu? It says a lot about the young Senegalese star that his delight at being promoted from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was accompanied by anxiety over the two distinct words for “you.”

Would addressing new, established teammates by using “tu” be seen as disrespectful? Ultimately, the promising talent opted for caution and selected the more formal “vous”. Cue wholesale laughter from the older players who instructed him not to be so silly; he was part of the group now.

Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is settled in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light explaining why he turned down offers from, among others, several top European clubs. His innate courtesy endures but it is apparent that the young Senegal international and doubt are practically unacquainted. Diarra carries himself with the self-assurance befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an AFCON championship trophy.

A Defined Vision

Now that the groin issue that kept him out for much of the first half of the domestic season resolved, Diarra is on a mission to demonstrate precisely 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 the manager's reputation as a gifted youth coach.

“It came as no shock by the coach’s ability because I already knew what he’s able to achieve,” says Diarra. “Facing his teams I realised 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 achievable goal this season.”

A Family Atmosphere

Outside, the chilly February wind and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often depicted. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The environment is free of the type of strain found in 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’re like a family here and we all fight for each other,” he says. “Each of us takes pride of each other.”

Liberty and Structure

If the structure, rigor and immense effort underpinning Sunderland’s defensive organization are a testament to the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to use their initiative. He offers his midfielders full freedom to improvise and interchange positions.

“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 feels good. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a massive influence and a fantastic example.”

Path and Settlement

Diarra is speaking through 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 language. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in his hometown near the Senegalese capital.

His early maturity helped him deal with the disappointment 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 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.”

Comparable feelings apply to Sunderland. “I’ve adapted very well,” he says. “I feel really comfortable here.”