Junior Diaz: Brest's battling center back
In the wake of tough competition for places in the wake of Stade Brestois' historic European season, Ivorian center back Junior Diaz has stood out for his combative play. Learn more about his helping Les Pirates climb the table in our latest One to Watch.
A Breton from birth
It's been something of a challenging season for Stade Brestois in Ligue 1 McDonald's this year. From the heady heights of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League to worries over the potential departure of manager Éric Roy, the Breton side has struggled to build on last season's success. Financial restrictions have seen the sales of key players like Mahdi Camara, Lilian Brassier Pierre Lees-Melou and Mathias Pereira Lage, and the names that have been brought in to replace them have hardly been of the headline sort. But one player has made a big difference -- defender Junior Diaz.
Expected to be a reserve with captain Brendan Chardonnet and veteran Julien Le Cardinal still about, as well as Strasbourg loanee Soumaïla Coulibaly, Diaz, was hardly seen as a regular after joining from Troyes on loan, but the former Nantes academy product has proved his doubters wrong. Born in the Nantes suburb of Saint-Herblain, Diaz made his first team debut with Les Canaris at the age of 19, featuring in a Coupe de France match before spending the following season on loan with Annency.
A new chance in a familiar place
This was followed by a €2.5M move to Troyes, where he played every minute in the league as he helped the eastern side have the division's best defence outside of promoted Metz and Paris FC, earning himself a loan move back to Brittany with Brest. Of Nantes, a club who have been loath to put trust in their academy products, Diaz speaks of having "unfinished business."
On his arrival this summer, the taciturn defender said, "I came here to grow up, to move up a level, to take another step in a higher division.
" Standing a hulking 1.94M, Diaz has played as an ideal foil for the shorter Chardonnet, using his two-footed ability on the ball and aerial ability to help his new side pick up fifteen points from their last ten matches, form which would see them battling for the European places over the whole season.
His strong play even saw him earn a first call-up for Côte d'Ivoire in October. While he'll face stiff competition there from the likes of Wilfried Singo and Evan Ndicka, his development has continued apace, as coach Roy remarked recently.
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He still has to make progress in his aggression, positioning and concentration, but by starting a run of matches he will become unstoppable."
