Diawara keeps feet on ground

Diawara has rattled in four goals in the opening two games of Le Championnat, including a hat-trick in the 4-0 mauling of Strasbourg at the weekend.

The former Arsenal and West Ham marksman, though, has praised the contribution of his team-mates for his flying start to his Nice career.

"I won't be carried away," Diawara told L'Equipe.

"The most important thing for me is that Nice get the points. I score goals because I receive good passes, but without the other players, I am nothing.

"I was born modest and I won't change at 26-years-old. Moreover, setbacks teach you to be cautious.

"I come from Toulon where they didn't even want me at the education centre."

Diawara is aiming to kick-start his career with Nice after struggling to attain regular first team football in recent seasons.

Nice coach Gernot Rohr was the man who launched Diawara's career at Bordeaux but the striker has no regrets about continually swapping clubs.

He added: "If I was better, I would have been a first team member and I would have stayed somewhere.

"I didn't get bad advice and I didn't think only of money. It was just bad luck, impatience.

"My only aim was to play. When you are young, in the French Under-21 team, and you see Thierry Henry plays more often than you, it hurts you.

"And I had enough. Before, I was nothing, and I am still not much.

"So why not play at El Ferrol? Anyway, it was better than the reserve team at PSG."