He emerged, like a ray of sunshine, in the current grayness of Paris FC. Check Oumar Diakité, 18, has started in 6 of the last 8 L2 games. The small-format midfielder (1.73 m, 63 kg) continues the remarkable performances. “He blew us away, recognizes coach René Girard. He has been with us since November but he has melted into the group with simplicity and determination. He is a boy who breathes football, he has a remarkable vision of the game, he anticipates well. “With 77% successful tackles, he also has the second ratio in L2. In the game of resemblances, Girard even evokes N’Golo Kanté. “But he still needs to evolve, we especially do not want to grill him before the hour”, continues the coach of Paris FC who left his nugget at rest on Tuesday against Niort (3-3).
Check Oumar, the eldest of a family of three children, started football in Choisy-le-Roi where he lives, before moving to Créteil and Montrouge. “I have known him since he was 8 years old and I had always planned to get him back,” explains Thomas Berlette, his trainer in Montrouge. For me, he has the profile of an Iniesta or a Xavi. He is solid on his supports, it is difficult to take the ball from him. On the ground, he does not hide. He has a big personality in the game. He has innate qualities, the vision of the game, the sense of passing and he is also a great worker. “
“I educated him like that, telling him that you always have to believe in it”
But its light size has long made professional clubs hesitate. “Since he was 10 years old, he was the strongest in all tournaments,” continues Thomas Berlette. He has been known to all French clubs for a long time. Several times, training center educators have told me: Compared to our players, he is much stronger. But they all asked themselves this question: Will he, physically, pass the high level ? Players like him, small, who have a morphological delay are always dependent on the philosophy of their coach. Because, unfortunately, many tend to favor strong players. But, at the PFC, he fell well. “
Failed during many tests, the environment was never discouraged. “I educated him like that, by telling him that he always had to believe in it,” explains his mother Bintou Camara. Check Omar has always had this will to succeed in him. For that, you need a mind. This is his number one quality. I have never seen him discouraged. He was telling me : If I am not trusted because of my size, too bad, I will work even more. That’s how he moved forward ”. In 2019, his family – his uncles played at the amateur level in the Paris region – was in contact with Brest and Angers. “But I preferred to wait, explains his mother. I wanted him to pass his baccalaureate. He had to stop his BTS but he is taking English lessons. “
“Many have told me, he only signed … Paris FC, he deserved better, says Thomas Berlette. But it’s the only club that really believed in him. He is very well surrounded, he has his head on his shoulders and he made the best choice. The proof, in my generation from Montrouge arrived in the semi-final of the French U17 Championships in 2019, he was one of the last to sign for a club but he is the first to already play pro. “
The club denied a transfer proposal from OM
“Everything went very quickly for him, recognizes his mother. Myself, I find it hard to realize that he is now professional. But, despite everything that happens to him, he is serene. He still sees football as a game, that’s the most important thing about him. He has not changed, he has remained himself and, believe me, that is not likely to change! “
At Paris FC where he signed a three-year pro contract just before Christmas, we try to protect him as much as possible. But it’s starting to talk a lot around him. Extremely rare, the club even published a press release Wednesday to deny the rumor of a transfer proposal from OM. “This is totally false, confirms a relative of the player. He is just starting to play in L2. The offers, we will put them aside to let him progress at the PFC for at least another season. You have to let it ripen at your own pace. “
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
