Osian Roberts' Impact on Europe's Coaching Elite
Osian Roberts led Como 1907 to promotion to Serie A as interim manager in the 2023-24 season.
Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Cesc Fabregas, and Mikel Arteta are not just former players but coaches whose careers have been influenced by a Welshman. Osian Roberts, who served as the Football Association of Wales' (FAW) technical director, played a pivotal role when Henry, Vieira, and Arteta attended Dragon Park in Newport to obtain their coaching badges.
Following a period as assistant to Patrick Vieira at Crystal Palace, Roberts was recommended by Thierry Henry to take the role of interim manager at Italian club Como 1907 in December 2023. He successfully led the team to promotion to Serie A that season before handing over managerial duties to his assistant, Cesc Fabregas, while remaining as head of development at the club.
"He's an amazing man, a very intelligent young man," Roberts said of Fabregas in an interview with the BBC World Service's Sportsworld programme. "He's made this step from a player to a coach in a relatively short period of time, in as natural a way as you can. We all know how much of a top player he was and he's showing that he has the same mindset, intelligence, the drive and the hunger to succeed as the manager as well."
90 Minutes from History
Cesc Fabregas, who was assistant to Osian Roberts, was appointed head coach in July 2024. His team currently sits fifth in Serie A, just two points shy of a Champions League qualification spot with five games remaining in the season.
Additionally, Como 1907 is 90 minutes away from reaching their first-ever Coppa Italia final, as they resume a 0-0 aggregate tie against Inter Milan on Tuesday, 21 April.
"It would mean everything to the club," Roberts said. "The fans here haven't had much to cheer about in recent times but now to be competing at the top level in Serie A, it's a dream come true for everybody involved with Como 1907."
Roberts emphasizes the strength of the club's support system behind the team.
"Como have a very strong team behind the team. A lot of hard work, humility led by example by Cesc himself," he added. "There is no right way to play football and for us we have our way which is specific to Como, which we are trying to build based on Cesc's game idea and influence. I'd like to think that we're a very exciting team to watch. We have to be because we're in Como and we are, by definition, in a city that needs to entertain and attract the tourists into the stadium."
Many Top Players 'Don't Have the Battery' to Coach
Mikel Arteta signed for Arsenal 16 days after Cesc Fabregas left the club for Barcelona in August 2011.
Roberts, who was assistant to Chris Coleman during Wales' run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, draws a comparison between Fabregas and Arsenal manager Arteta.
"I would put Cesc and Mikel in the same category because both of them were making that transition from playing to coaching whilst they were still playing. They had that mindset," Roberts explained. "It's not always easy, because most of these former players had a long, successful 20-year career. So to continue with that fire in the belly and be able to go again in a different career where it takes even more out of you, it's time consuming.
"I know many top, top players who just didn't have the batteries left to go into a coaching career and that's fine. It's fantastic to have these type of profiles continue in the game, because fans I'm sure love them as players and have another opportunity to see a different dimension and their idea of the game, based on these wonderful experiences that they had."
Arteta's Fire Not Fear
Manchester City defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup final at Wembley in April.
After holding a seemingly commanding lead in this season's Premier League title race, Arsenal now sits just six points ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand, ahead of their meeting at the Etihad on Sunday, 19 April.
Despite the pressure, Roberts has been impressed with Arteta's composure.
"I think he's managing the situation in a very impressive way," said the 60-year-old. "Every manager has doubts. I'm sure when he's alone he's thinking about the worst case scenarios, it's inevitable. But you know that he will be conveying only positive vibes on the pitch, off the pitch, how he conducts himself, his body language."
Roberts also highlighted Arteta's strength during media interactions.
"He knows that the players will be listening to his messages and you can see that they're strong. He's talking about fire, not fear," Roberts said. "I think most players and coaches that I've spoken to over the decades would say that that first trophy is the hardest one to win. Of course, I know he's won the FA Cup but now we're talking about Champions League and Premier League.
"If they can just about get themselves over the line, I'm sure we'll see them go from strength to strength over the next few years."
