Senegal boss delivers update on Sunderland star Habib Diarra following AFCON agreement
Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra has headed off to take part in AFCON with Senegal
Senegal boss Pape Thiaw has provided an update on Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra after the 21-year-old finally jetted off to take part in the African Cup of Nations this week.
The Black Cats’ record signing found himself at the centre of a relatively unorthodox arrangement last weekend; while the rest of the Premier League’s AFCON stars left their respective clubs on December 15th in preparation for the tournament, he was permitted to stay on Wearside and play a small part in Sunderland’s 0-0 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Diarra had been sidelined since September with a groin injury that required surgery, but trained with Regis Le Bris’ first team squad prior to the trip to Sussex, and gained valuable minutes on his road to recovery when he replaced Chris Rigg with just under half an hour left to play.
And while there have been some suggestions that many in Senegal were left frustrated by the agreement to allow Diarra to remain in England for the Brighton fixture, his national boss has made it clear that he was more than happy with how things panned out.
As quoted by Wiw Sport, on Monday, Thiaw said: “In Habib Diarra’s case, communication makes things easier. It was handled very well. He joined us yesterday. Let’s hope his rehabilitation went well, as we were in close contact with Sunderland’s medical staff, his personal physiotherapist, and our own medical team.”
What did Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris say about Habib Diarra?
Speaking after the final whistle at the AmEx Stadium, Le Bris said of Diarra: “We were happy to go all the way through the rehab process with him. This was the conclusion of that, and now he is ready to play. So, he will go with his national team. It will be progressive with them as well, in order to make sure everything goes well, and then after AFCON, he will be 100 per cent with us and in good shape.”
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On his side’s performance writ large, the Sunderland boss added: “I thought we played well for 65–70 minutes and had opportunities to score. We didn’t today, but I think it is always important, when you go away from home against a strong side, to seize those opportunities.
“After that, Brighton pushed, which is normal, and we were a bit on the edge, but it is still a good point. Their subs gave them an extra drive, so we had to defend,” he continued. It is not easy for the new lads in the squad to step up, but they need time and experience to improve. Our centre-backs were very good, as usual, but the squad is always connected to defend together. It is not always a question of individual players or centre-backs; it is very much about the collective spirit.”
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