Andy Diouf's coach during his Rennes academy days, Bourdeau, revealed that the newly capped French international is a good listener and eager to learn, but not naturally suited to playing as a left-back.

Had Chivu not suggested moving Diouf to the flank, the midfielder might not be in the French national team today and would likely still be on loan playing his preferred midfield position. This positional change made him more influential in Inter's tactical system and helped him establish himself in French football. Zidane called him up to his first squad as France coach and considered deploying him as a left-back. Although Diouf wasn't particularly enthusiastic about this tactical shift, it almost transformed his career.

Bourdeau, who coached Diouf in Rennes' U16 and U17 teams, recalled: "Diouf was a box-to-box midfielder with excellent running ability, outstanding intensity, good left-footed technique, and he was quite intelligent with a strong mentality." Bourdeau noted that Diouf could dribble past defenders and progress with his footwork. "The flank is a physically demanding position, and Diouf thrives in the latter stages of matches, creating threats with both forward runs and explosive sprints."

Bourdeau added: "I still feel his favorite position is midfield." He understood why the experiment could work. Bourdeau believes Diouf is very attack-minded, likes to push forward along the touchline, and possesses the stamina needed to maintain the game's pace. Most importantly, Diouf is a good listener and eager to learn, able to quickly adapt to tactical changes. However, Bourdeau has reservations about Zidane's idea of deploying him as a full-back: "Honestly, if he were to play as a full-back in a four-man defense, I wouldn't be very optimistic about it."

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