Cesc Fàbregas, former Arsenal captain and one of the finest midfielders of his generation, has transitioned into coaching with the same meticulous approach that defined his playing career.
As he merges his coaching ambitions with a potential lifeline for Dele Alli, he recently shared insights into the challenges of transforming a club’s culture.
Reflecting on his current role, Fàbregas discussed the monumental task of instilling professionalism and ambition at Como, a club that was unrecognisable from the structured environments he experienced at Arsenal and Barcelona.
“When I arrived here, there were players who left five minutes late to train. That was unprofessional. There was a very fragile mentality, a lot of fear, no one was talking about growing up, about moving up,” he revealed. This lack of focus no doubt reminded him of the standards instilled at Arsenal under Arsène Wenger, where attention to detail and a winning mentality were non-negotiable.
In fact, Fàbregas attributed his success to the clear identity Wenger cultivated. He said, “Wenger, a teacher and a father. Without him I wouldn’t have had the career I had.”
At Como, he has worked tirelessly to shift the mindset, turning a defensive and cautious squad into one with ambition and identity. “When I arrived, they only had two part-time physios, a doctor who was in training and was leaving, and the technicians, who more or less, did the same. It was a very small club, but in Serie B,” he said.
“They didn’t have these training camps that we have now, we didn’t have a restaurant, a two-storey gym, a staff of 50 people, some offices… It was a very interesting project then. Starting from scratch, working, growing and dreaming. To be part of this story, to change the mentality of the club, is what motivated me.”
However, the demands of management come at a cost, as Fàbregas candidly admitted. “It’s very difficult to be a good father being a coach,” he confessed, a sentiment that highlights the sacrifices required in football’s top echelons.
“It’s bad for me to say it, because I love my children, and my wife, like nothing else in the world. We are a team, but I hardly see my children. When I’m at home, I am, but I’m not. It is a very vicious circle, that of the football coach, which consumes many hours and energies, and, in the end, you leave a very important part of life that is the family.
“You do it for your passion, because you do something you love, and Como is a big project in which I am the person responsible for this going well or badly.”
Como gossip
Cesc Fàbregas has revealed plans to invite free agent Dele Alli to train with his Como squad after Christmas.
Speaking after Como’s victory over Roma, Fàbregas said the move would help the 28-year-old midfielder regain fitness, though he downplayed expectations of anything beyond training.
Dele has struggled with injuries and personal challenges over the past two years, last playing a league match for Besiktas in February 2023.
The former England international, who starred at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, is eyeing a return to fitness and hopes to reclaim a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, if he can find a new club.