Things are moving extremely quickly for Como, winning promotion to Serie A this past season after finishing as runners up to Parma in Italian football’s second tier.
Only reformed in the summer of 2017, the club – based 40 km north of Milan – their rapid rise has been led by some interesting and notable names. Cesc Fabregas is undoubtedly the most famous of these, officially listed as the side’s Assistant Coach but clearly in charge of events on the field.
The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Spain midfielder joined as a player in 2022, also becoming a shareholder in the club alongside Thierry Henry. By then, Como had already reached Serie B and having retired a year later, Fabregas would be appointed as Coach in November 2023.
Lacking the relevant coaching badges to keep the role beyond a seven-game stint however, Como and were forced to find someone who could officially hold the role while still allowing Fabregas to actually do the job. Enter Osian Roberts.
Who is Como Coach Osian Roberts?
Previously a Technical Director with the Welsh FA, Roberts helped Mikel Arteta, Patrick Vieira and Theirry Henry qualify as coaches, and it was the latter who recommended him to Fabregas.
“He’s been a mentor for me, challenging me, seeing how I would react in different situations,” Fabregas told BBC Wales. “When we were looking to bring someone in, Thierry recommended him. He told me that he was the right guy for us.
“I spoke to Mikel, and I spoke to Patrick because they worked together for two years at Crystal Palace. Everyone was very complimentary about him.”
Fabregas is expected to complete his qualifications this summer, but the work being done at Como goes much further than simply seeing the 37-year-old officially becoming the boss.
Why will Como only play away games?
Indeed, Como’s rapid rise means the infrastructure of the club is not ready for the demands of top flight football, and that includes their Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia home. Built in 1927, it lacks some of the basics needed under Serie A’s regulations and there was talk of the club needing to play elsewhere in 2024/25.
However, they have now requested permission to play the first three games of the new season away from home, taking them up to the first international break which will be held on the weekend of September 7 and 8.
That will give Como until September 15 to complete the work needed to bring their stadium up to a capacity of over 10,000 seats while improving the video surveillance system and other factors laid out in the league’s guidelines.
Who is in charge of Como Football Club?
Given that they are owned by Indonesia’s wealthiest family, they should have no problem financing the work. The Hartono Family, which owns Bank Central Asia and the cigarette giant Djarum, has been in control of the club since 2019 and has appointed many well-known names behind the scenes.
Former Chelsea and Millwall midfielder Dennis Wise is an advisor to the board of directors, while the experienced Michael Gandler was brought in to handle Como’s business strategies.
Gandler was previously the Marketing Manager of Inter when Erick Thohir – also from Indonesia – owned the Milanese giants. Due to their vastly different status, his role at Como is certainly not the same, but the American CEO is seemingly relishing his latest task.
“The fact is, despite the condition of the stadium and the history of bankruptcy, there is something very special about Como,” Gandler said in a club documentary. “That’s what made us buy this club.”
Now in Serie A after a 21-year absence, it will be up to Gandler and Fabregas to find a way to keep them there.