The Evolving Football Game: Pragmatism vs. Player Freedom

0:00 OK, let's dive right in. You know, when you watch

0:02 football, sometimes there are players who just feel, well,

0:07 different. Yeah, like they're operating on

0:09 another level, almost seeing passes nobody else sees.

0:12 Exactly. A kind of magician with the

0:14 ball. Yeah, someone who could just

0:16 unlock everything. And we're definitely talking

0:18 about one of those today, a career that wasn't just, you

0:21 know, long and incredibly successful, legendary clubs,

0:24 heaps of trophies, but one that's now taking this really

0:27 fascinating turn. A turn into management which is

0:30 is always interesting to watch. Absolutely.

0:32 So today we're doing a proper deep dive into the journey of

0:36 Cesc Fabregas. We're going to trace it, all

0:39 right? Yeah, from those super early

0:41 days, the teenage sensation making that huge leap.

0:44 Yeah, leaving Spain for London, then conquering club football,

0:48 the international stage with, well, arguably one of the best

0:51 teams ever. That's Spanish golden

0:53 generation, yeah. And we'll bring it right up to

0:55 date, landing in Italy, He's coaching Como now, a club with

0:59 some seriously big plans in Syria.

1:02 And we've really dug into it. We've got loads on his playing

1:06 highlights obviously, but also how his style changed suddenly,

1:09 maybe over nearly 20 years. Right.

1:12 And his impact for Spain, that's huge.

1:14 Plus, crucially, what he thinks about the game now.

1:17 You know from the other side, the coach's perspective, it's

1:19 quite revealing stuff. So our mission for you today is

1:23 to really pull out the essence of Fabregas.

1:28 What made him tick? What are the key moments, the

1:31 surprising bits? And what can we maybe learn from

1:34 his whole journey, especially this move into coaching?

1:37 What does it tell us about the game, about succeeding on and

1:40 off the pitch? OK, let's get into it.

1:42 Where do we start that huge decision as a teenager?

1:44 Yeah, that's the one leaving Lamazia, Barcelona's famous

1:48 Academy, at just 16. Which is crazy, right?

1:51 Most kids would well give anything to stay there.

1:53 Yeah, but he packs his bags for Arsenal in September 2003.

1:57 And apparently the initial thought wasn't, you know, I'm

1:59 going straight into the first team.

2:01 It was more of a long game. Building for the future sort of

2:04 thing. Exactly.

2:05 But Arsene Wenger? Well, Wenger saw something

2:07 different, didn't he? He always had an eye for talent.

2:09 He really did, because just a month later, October 2003,

2:14 Fabregas gets his senior debut League Cup against Rotherham.

2:18 A month at 16. And not just any debut.

2:21 He became the youngest player in Arsenal history, 16 years, 177

2:26 days. And that record still stands.

2:28 Still stands today, which tells you something about, well, his

2:31 talent. Wanger's belief, but also the

2:34 sheer nerve of the kid. Incredible.

2:37 And it wasn't long before he was scoring.

2:38 Breaking more records. Nope.

2:40 Later that December, League Cup again.

2:42 This time, Wolves becomes Arsenal's youngest goal scorer.

2:45 OK, so youngest player, youngest scorer.

2:46 And then early the next season, 2405, first Premier League goal

2:51 against Blackburn. Don't tell me.

2:52 Yup. Youngest league goalscorer for

2:54 Arsenal at the time. He just kept ticking those

2:56 boxes. But getting into the team

2:58 regularly, that wasn't just down to Wenger wanting to break

3:00 records, was it? No, not entirely.

3:02 It actually got fast tracked kind of out of necessity in that

3:05 O four O 5 season. How come?

3:07 Well, injuries, big ones. Viera Edu, Gilberto Silva, The

3:12 core of that midfield was suddenly unavailable.

3:15 Wow, those are massive names to replace.

3:17 Exactly, so suddenly this, you know, 17 year old is thrown

3:21 right into the mix playing big games right in the center.

3:24 Stepping into Viera's boots, metaphorically speaking, that's

3:28 immense pressure. Huge.

3:30 And Speaking of pressure and intensity, you remember the

3:34 battle of the buffet. Oh yeah, October 2004 Old

3:38 Trafford The unbeaten run ends chaos in the tunnel.

3:41 The stuff of legend. And years later it came out.

3:45 It was young Sesk, wasn't it? The.

3:47 Pizza thrower. The pizza thrower aimed at Sir

3:50 Alex Ferguson. It's maybe a silly anecdote, but

3:52 it shows that fire, you know, that passion was there from the

3:55 start. Definitely.

3:56 And he wasn't Viera, obviously physically quite different.

4:00 Right. And there were questions,

4:01 naturally. Could this light kid handle the

4:03 Premier League midfield battles? But he didn't try to be Viera.

4:07 He developed his own style. Exactly.

4:08 More about the brain, the touch, the vision, controlling the

4:11 tempo, finding those passes. He carved out his own space.

4:14 And people noticed pretty quickly.

4:16 The recognition started rolling in.

4:18 Almost immediately, first senior trophy comes in the 2005 FA Cup

4:22 final started that game. It gets Man United, wasn't it

4:24 one on penalties? Yeah, yeah.

4:26 Must felt good after the Pete's incident.

4:27 You'd imagine so. And in Europe too.

4:29 That same season, O four O 5, second youngest scorer in

4:33 Champions League history against Rosenborg.

4:35 Just kept hitting these milestones.

4:37 And the individual awards followed.

4:39 Did UEFA Team of the Year in 2006 remarkable for his age?

4:43 Nominated for PFA Player and Young Player in 2007.

4:46 Competing with the best already. Yeah, when the Golden Boy in

4:49 2006, Best young player in Europe, Premier League player of

4:53 the month twice in 2000 and. 7 January and September right?

4:56 Shows consistency exactly. And the Arsenal fans voted him

5:00 their Player of the season for 2006 O 7.

5:02 They knew what they had. Then Thierry already leaves in

5:05 2007. Huge figure gone.

5:07 Massive. And that's when Fabregas really

5:09 he had to step up, become the guy.

5:11 And he got the number 4 shirt, didn't he?

5:13 Viera's old number. Yeah, symbolic, very symbolic.

5:15 His creativity just became central to everything Arsenal

5:18 did. He was the engine. 13 assists in

5:21 the league that season, 06 O 7. That's serious creative output.

5:25 And you know, many people point to the 2007 O Eight season as

5:28 maybe his absolute peak at Arsenal.

5:30 Was that the season with the AC Milan game?

5:33 That's the one. March 2008.

5:35 What a performance. That was.

5:37 Probably his best ever in an Arsenal shirt.

5:39 Remind me what happened? Well, he did everything, cleared

5:42 one off the line early on, showed that defensive grit, then

5:45 just ran the midfield. Absolutely dominated Kaka, who

5:48 was, you know, world Player of the year territory, then hit the

5:51 bar, created chances, and then late on just unleashes this

5:55 rocket from 30 yards out. Wins the game.

5:58 That sounds like a complete performance.

5:59 It was everything. Skill, leadership, big moment

6:02 delivery. It announced him properly on the

6:04 world stage. And the awards reflected that

6:06 season. Yep, PFA Young Player of the

6:08 Year and the PFA Team of the Year again, and Arsenal's Player

6:12 of the Season again. The fans left him.

6:14 And then came the captaincy. November 2008, right?

6:18 More responsibility. And his attacking numbers just

6:20 went well through the roof after that.

6:23 That 2910 season stands out, doesn't it?

6:25 The stats are just wild. Unbelievable 15 goals and 15

6:29 assists in the Premier League alone for a midfielder.

6:32 That's insane output, just consistently creating and

6:35 scoring. And it wasn't just stats.

6:36 Remember that Man United win back in O61?

6:39 Nil. Vaguely.

6:41 His pressing won the ball back deep in their half, LED directly

6:44 to the goal. Showed that intelligent side

6:46 too, not just the Hollywood passes.

6:48 Right, the work rate too. And what about that Blackburn

6:50 game, the 6th, 2:00? October 2009 That was a Fabregas

6:54 show. 4 assists tied the Premier League record. 4 assists in one

6:58 game. And scored an absolute screamer

7:00 of a volley from outside the box.

7:02 Involved in five of the first five goals.

7:04 Just total domination. And the north London Derby that

7:07 same month against Spurs. Another classic fab grass

7:10 moment. Arsenal score, kickoff, he gets

7:12 the ball almost immediately, drives forward.

7:14 Bang goal seconds after the first kill the game three, no

7:18 win. Just pure impact leadership by

7:20 example. It really makes you stop and

7:22 think doesn't it? Leaves the best Academy, comes

7:25 to England, gets thrown in the deep end.

7:27 Adapts. Thrives.

7:29 Breaks records, becomes captain. It's an incredible story of

7:32 talent meeting opportunity, but also having that, you know,

7:36 mental strength, that courage to take the chance.

7:39 Absolutely a blueprint for young players.

7:41 OK, let's shift focus. His international career with

7:45 Spain, that golden generation. Right.

7:47 And fitting into that midfield Shavi, Iniesta, Alonzo

7:51 Bousquettes, I mean, wow. How do you even get a game?

7:54 Well, he did. Made his debut March 2006

7:57 against Ivory Coast. Youngest Spanish player in 70

8:00 years. 70 years. That good refuse too involved in

8:03 a goal straight away. And then World Cup that summer

8:05 in Germany. Yep.

8:06 He came on against Ukraine, became the youngest Spaniard to

8:09 play in a World Cup, got nominated for the Young player

8:11 award too, making waves in and nationally already at 19.

8:15 But EUR 2008, that felt like his real arrival for Spain, even if

8:20 he wasn't always starting. Definitely his impact off the

8:23 bench was massive. Scored his first goal against

8:25 Russia in the group stage. Got an assist too.

8:27 And the quarterfinal against Italy, Yeah, penalties, right?

8:30 Yep, 10 stuff. And who steps up to score the

8:33 winning penalty? Has to be Sask.

8:34 Cool as you like, sends Spain through.

8:37 And he kept contributing. Semi final Russia again comes

8:40 on, sets up two goals in a three nil win.

8:43 Just changing games then. He started the final against

8:46 Germany. He did.

8:47 Spain win one mil First major turfy since 1964.

8:51 A huge. Moment and he made the team in

8:53 the tournament despite being a sub initially.

8:55 That's how big his impact was. He was crucial to that victory.

8:59 Carried on being important Confederations Cup O 9 scored

9:02 again. Yeah, against New Zealand, but

9:05 the moment everyone remembers South Africa 2010.

9:08 The World Cup final assist. Has to be again often a sub

9:11 because of that ridiculous midfield depth, but in the final

9:15 against the Netherlands. Tense game, Extra time.

9:17 He comes on in the 87th minute, then 116th minute, gets the

9:21 ball, threads it through to any side for the winner.

9:24 History made and Fabregas provided the key pass even from

9:27 the bench. Defining moments.

9:29 It really shows you can impact a game hugely without starting 90

9:32 minutes. Focus quality under pressure.

9:35 Absolutely. And then EUR 2012 showed another

9:39 side his flexibility. The false 9 experiments.

9:44 Exactly. Del Bosque starts him upfront

9:47 against Italy in the opener. Tactical surprise and he scores

9:51 the equalizer. Proved you could do that job

9:53 too. Scored again against Ireland,

9:55 then semifinal shootout against Portugal.

9:58 Guess who scores the winner? Becoming a habit.

10:00 Clutch from the spot, then in the final starts again against

10:03 Italy, assists the first goal for David Silva.

10:06 Spain win 4 nil. Dominant and team of the

10:09 tournament again. Deservedly so.

10:10 Three major tournaments in a row?

10:12 Central figure in all of them in different ways.

10:14 Incredible consistency his later Spain career still involved for

10:18 a while. Yeah, Confederations Cup 2013

10:21 assisted against Uruguay. The 2014 World Cup wasn't great

10:24 for Spain but he was there. EUR 2016 too.

10:27 Got his 100th cap around that didn't.

10:29 He Yep, against Ukraine capped in them for the first time too.

10:32 And a friendly fun fact, he actually missed a penalty in his

10:35 100th cap game. Huh.

10:36 Really. Did they still win?

10:38 Yeah, they still won, but it's funny how things work out.

10:42 So looking back at Spain, how did he manage to fit in and be

10:46 so effective alongside those other legends?

10:49 Adaptability, pure and simple, willingness to play different

10:52 roles, impact sub false 9 deeper midfield intelligence,

10:57 versatility and putting the team first.

11:00 That's how you contribute to a golden generation.

11:03 Makes sense. OK, let's track back to his club

11:05 career after Arsenal, the big return to Barcelona.

11:09 August 2011. And yeah, that felt like it took

11:12 forever, didn't it? The whole transfer saga.

11:14 It really did felt like it was on every single summer for

11:17 years. Finally happened initial fee

11:19 around 29,000,000 plus those variables and that story about

11:22 him paying some himself. A million a year from his wages

11:26 for five years, is that right? But that's the story, yeah.

11:29 Just shows you how desperately he wanted to go back home.

11:31 But it's interesting, you look at his Arsenal stats just before

11:34 he left. Incredible, right?

11:35 In those five years, created more chances, got Morrisis,

11:38 scored more goals in both Javi and Anista in the same period.

11:41 Even with fewer games. Yeah, it shows just how central

11:44 he was at Arsenal, how much went through him.

11:46 So going back to Barsa with Javi Iniesta, Messi already

11:51 established it had to be a different role.

11:54 Completely different. No longer the main guy, it was

11:56 about finding his place in that incredible machine.

11:59 Where did he play mostly? Varied a bit under Pep, often

12:02 further forward supporting forward or that false 9 role,

12:06 especially if Messi dropped deep under Villanova and Martino

12:10 sometimes deeper again. And he spoke about that later,

12:12 didn't he? About maybe not always playing

12:14 where he felt best. He did.

12:16 He mentioned preferring his later role at Chelsea, feeling

12:19 he could dictate more set at Barsa.

12:21 He played, and I quote loosely, hear everything except what I

12:24 felt was my best position. Still, he was successful there

12:27 trophy wise. Oh, massively.

12:29 La Liga title, Copa del Rey Super Cups?

12:31 UEFA Super Cup. Club World Cup, he won a lot.

12:34 And his numbers were still good. Yeah, especially that first

12:37 season back 2011, 1215 goals, 20 assists.

12:40 That's huge. Got his first ever hat trick the

12:43 season after two against Mallorca.

12:45 Started 1314 with five assists in one game. 5 assists against

12:49 Levante. Wow.

12:51 So the talent was obviously still there producing numbers.

12:54 But yeah, the perception was maybe he was sometimes.

12:56 Shoehorned in. That's the word people used,

12:59 fitted in around the others rather than having the team

13:01 built around his specific strengths like at Arsenal.

13:05 A different challenge for him. Which brings us neatly to his

13:08 return to London, but this time Chelsea, June 2014.

13:13 Yep, 33 million and he was pretty clear why he moved.

13:17 Asked Barsa to leave, won in the Premier League again and felt

13:20 Chelsea was the right fit professionally and personally.

13:23 Took the number 4 shirt again. Familiar sight, and his impact

13:27 there was, well, instant. Instant and spectacular that

13:31 debut against Burnley. Pass to Cheryl.

13:33 Oh, that pass. First time volley sliced the

13:37 defense open. People said it was like

13:38 something out of a video game. Almost too perfect.

13:40 He got another assist in that game too, right from a corner.

13:43 He did just immediately showed what he could bring to Marino's

13:46 midfield. And he hit the ground running

13:47 with records too. Yeah, straight away became the

13:50 first player with an assist in six consecutive Premier League

13:52 games that carry over from his last couple at Arsenal.

13:55 His vision was just crucial for Chelsea that season.

13:58 They won the League 20 20/14/15, his first Premier League title.

14:01 And he was central to it. Ended the season with 19 league

14:04 assists. That link up with Diego Costa

14:06 was lethal. Costa must have loved playing

14:08 with him. Absolutely, and Cess scored key

14:11 goals too, like that late winner against QPR that pretty much

14:14 sealed the title. Won it the day before his 28th

14:17 birthday. Nice timing.

14:18 There's that little blip near the end of the red card against

14:21 W Brom. Oh.

14:21 Yeah, kicking the ball at Chris Brent's head.

14:24 Bit of frustration, maybe. Suspension got reduced though.

14:26 Minor footnote on a brilliant season.

14:29 Then he won another title of Chelsea under Conti 1617 season.

14:32 He did and reached a massive milestone that season too. 100

14:36 Premier League assists. Against Stoke, December 2016 and

14:41 he was the fastest to reach it. By a long way. 293 appearances.

14:45 That was 74 games faster than Ryan Giggs who was second 74.

14:50 Just shows his efficiency as a creator.

14:52 Remarkable consistency. And didn't he score against

14:54 Arsenal that season? He did February 2017, but

14:58 famously didn't celebrate. Showed that respect for his old

15:00 club. Classy touch and he ended up

15:02 pretty high on the all time assists list.

15:04 Yeah. Finished level with Lampard on

15:05 one O 2 for a while. Ended his PL. career with 111

15:09 assists in total, second highest at the time.

15:11 Incredible record. Won the FA Cup again too in

15:13 2018. Involved in the penalty that won

15:16 the final. Yep, and his last game in

15:18 England. Quite emotional wasn't it?

15:20 FA Cup tie, January 2019. Against Forest missed a penalty,

15:25 tearful at the end. Marked the end of an era for him

15:28 in England. Definitely his role had shifted

15:31 a bit by then at Chelsea, hadn't it?

15:32 Yeah, seemed like it. Still the playmaker, but maybe

15:35 he needed more defensive cover. Right as pace naturally

15:38 decreases, you saw him paired more with Matic or Kante.

15:41 Still brilliant with the ball, but maybe used more

15:44 strategically later on. Coming off the bench to unlock

15:46 defenses. Control the tempo.

15:48 Exactly showed he could still influence games, just maybe in

15:51 slightly different ways as he got older adapting again.

15:54 So after Chelsea it was off to France.

15:55 Monaco, January 2019. Signed until mid 2022.

16:00 No fee initially but some performance payments and

16:04 reunited with Thierry Henry who was manager there briefly.

16:07 How did it go in Monaco? It mixed really.

16:10 Scored his first goal fairly quickly but got sent off on the

16:13 opening day of the next season. VAR decision.

16:16 Oh dear. Any highlights?

16:18 Scored the winner against PSG once, which is always nice for

16:21 Monaco fans, but the main issue was injuries.

16:24 Hamstring and ankle problems right, Limited his game time.

16:26 Yeah, especially in that last season, 2122 barely played in

16:30 the league. He was released in June 2022 but

16:32 said he wasn't retiring yet. Which led him to Como Serie B in

16:36 Italy, August 2022. Final playing Stop played 17

16:39 games that season. Didn't score.

16:41 But the Como move was about more than just playing, wasn't it?

16:44 Right. He became a shareholder along

16:45 with Henry again. Exactly.

16:47 And the CEO, Dennis Wise, another former Chelsea guy, said

16:50 Sussk was already thinking bigger picture, helping with the

16:53 stadium building a new training ground.

16:55 Planting the seeds for the future, even while still

16:58 playing. Definitely, and that future

17:00 arrived pretty quickly. July 1st, 2023 hangs up his

17:04 boots officially. But straight into coaching.

17:06 Immediately appointed head coach of Como's U Nineteens and B

17:09 team, he'd already got his UEFA A license, clearly planning

17:13 ahead. And then things move very fast

17:15 with the first team. Incredibly fast.

17:18 The senior coach Marino Longo gets sacked in November 2023 and

17:22 Fabregas steps up as interim head coach.

17:25 But there was a license issue. He didn't have the Pro license

17:27 yet. Correct.

17:28 So he got a special one month dispensation to manage the team.

17:31 How did he do in that month? Pretty well managed five games,

17:35 1/3 drew one, lost one. That's a 60% win rate straight

17:39 off the bat. Not bad for a first taste of

17:41 senior management. His last game was that 33 draw

17:44 with Palermo. Yep.

17:46 Then, because of the license situation, Ocean Roberts came in

17:49 as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

17:51 But Chesk stayed involved. Crucially, Yes stayed on as

17:54 assistant manager working under Roberts and he spoke really

17:57 highly of Roberts, called him a mentor, said Arteta and Viera

18:00 recommended Roberts from their coaching courses in Wales.

18:03 Interesting connection and together they achieved something

18:06 amazing that season. Promotion back to Syria for Como

18:10 First time in 21 years after bankruptcies dropping down to

18:14 Siri D. It's an incredible comeback

18:17 story for the club. And Fabregas was right there as

18:19 assistant while they climb from 7th to 3rd to seal it.

18:22 He talked about it being a real process, every detail mattering,

18:25 building that family, strong bond.

18:27 And didn't he promised the players a trip somewhere?

18:30 Ibiza, if they got promoted, hope he followed through.

18:34 He also pointed out that Como did it against bigger clubs like

18:37 Venezia and Palermo, who were sort of built for promotion,

18:39 making it even sweeter. Admitted he didn't think it was

18:42 possible earlier in the season 2 shows how far they came.

18:44 Exactly. Which brings us to now, the

18:47 latest chapter. Gets on the UEFA Pro course July

18:51 2024 clears the way. And formally appointed KOMO head

18:55 coach July 19th 2024 Big four year contract.

18:59 And KOMO have serious ambition, right?

19:01 Big investment behind them. Huge Backed by the Jaram Group

19:04 from Indonesia. Talk of a £1 billion plan.

19:08 Henry's still involved as a stakeholder too.

19:09 It's a massive project. And Cesc saw that potential.

19:13 Yeah, he said. He saw people wanting to grow

19:15 the club from zero, offering that long term vision where he

19:19 could develop as a manager. Plus, he likes the location by

19:22 Lake Como near Clooney and Branson used in films adds a bit

19:26 of sparkle. So what's his coaching

19:28 philosophy? What kind of football does he

19:30 want Como to play? He's been quite clear, proactive

19:33 style, wants to dominate the ball, press high, manage

19:37 transitions well. Sounds quite modern.

19:39 What about players? What's he looking for?

19:41 Hunger, intensity and adaptability are keywords he

19:45 uses. Players who can dribble, defend,

19:48 find space, understand different roles.

19:50 Consistency and passion are vital.

19:53 Any specific players he's mentioned?

19:54 Praised Gabrielloni, who came up from CD with the club for his

19:58 determination. Highlighted Nico Paz young

20:00 talent for his versatility. Sees similarities to himself.

20:04 Sergio Roberto Peroni in that complete adaptable mold.

20:07 And the long term plan? Develop youth, build a top

20:10 training center, eventually a new stadium.

20:12 It's a holistic vision. How have the early results been

20:15 in Syria as the permanent boss? Bit of a mixed bag as you'd

20:19 expect. Lost on pens in the cup, lost

20:21 the first league game to UVA, but then they hit that

20:24 incredible run. The six consecutive wins, only

20:28 the second promoted team ever to do that in Syria.

20:31 Amazing achievement early on, really put them on the map.

20:34 But he played it down, said it was just the start.

20:36 Lots of room for improvement keeping feet on the ground.

20:40 Seems keen to learn too. Mentioned wanting to speak to

20:43 Anzagi at Inter. Yeah, called anxiety.

20:45 One of the best coaches in the world shows humility and that

20:48 desire to keep developing himself.

20:50 And he's already attracting attention, reports linking him

20:53 to Lexi. Exactly despite the long

20:55 contract at Como shows, his ideas are already making waves.

20:59 He finds Syria competitive, tactical but changing with

21:02 younger coaches. Finds analyzing Italian teams a

21:05 unique challenge. Trusts players he knows well,

21:08 mentioned Roberto and Reyna. OK, this leads perfectly into

21:11 his broader thoughts on football's evolution.

21:14 He's seen a lot change as a player.

21:16 Yeah, and this is really fascinating stuff.

21:18 He talks about a big shift in training focus during his career

21:21 now, so says early on under Wenger especially, it was very

21:26 technical, tactical, first understanding the game space,

21:30 technique than the physical side.

21:32 But later, he felt it flipped. Physical first, then tactics and

21:37 technique. That's how he describes it.

21:38 Physical 1st and then tactical and technical the last little

21:41 bit. What effect does he think that

21:42 has? He feels coaches now sometimes

21:45 tell players exactly how they want to play.

21:49 How you have to do it when you have to do it too prescriptive.

21:52 Makes players feel robotic. His word?

21:54 Yeah, just executing instructions, not necessarily

21:57 reading the game's complexities, he said.

21:59 The freedom he felt in his first 1213 years versus the last 6-7

22:04 was like day and night. Wow.

22:07 Big difference. Yeah, he even wondered if things

22:09 might have been different post Chelsea under a Venger type

22:11 coach again. Yeah, because once that peak

22:14 physicality goes, if the game is only about executing physical

22:17 instructions, it's harder for intelligent, creative players to

22:20 dominate. He used the false nine example

22:22 too, didn't he? Right recalled the debates was

22:25 Spain 460 or 433. It highlighted that tactical

22:30 fluidity which maybe feels less common now sometimes.

22:33 So how does all that playing experience shape him as a

22:35 manager now? Deeply, it seems he believes

22:39 coaches need to evolve and adapt, learn from each other.

22:43 But he holds on to some core beliefs.

22:45 Like the coach being the main analyst, not just the fitness

22:48 staff. Yeah, he worries.

22:49 Sometimes it feels like it's more important the fitness coach

22:52 to the coach elsewhere. He thinks the head coach has to

22:55 be the main football brain. And his view on the players

22:57 role. Crucial.

22:59 He says the player is always the most important element.

23:02 Even if the coach is the boss. He feels coaches on the bench

23:05 don't always sense what's happening on the pitch.

23:07 The feel of the game. Exactly that subtle shift in

23:10 momentum or the psychological impact of a sub.

23:13 He gave that example of swapping an attacker for a defender late

23:16 on. Right.

23:17 Practically logical from the sideline, maybe.

23:19 But on the pitch, he says, it sends a message.

23:21 Defend sit back invites pressure and often backfires.

23:26 Because it kills the attacking mindset, yeah.

23:29 He thinks too much instruction can make players insecure, take

23:32 away their instinct. He wants to avoid that.

23:34 So he wants to bring back more creativity and freedom.

23:37 He says he'll certainly try, though he knows it's hard to

23:40 fully go back. But he believes fundamentally in

23:43 player intelligence. Trusting them to understand the

23:46 game. Exactly.

23:47 Give players the belief that he's intelligent enough to

23:50 understand where the game is going.

23:52 So when things change unexpectedly in a match.

23:54 Players need to be smart enough, intelligent enough, courageous

23:58 enough to adapt themselves, not just wait for instructions.

24:01 He feels too much listening to the coach can stop players from

24:04 making those brave, spontaneous decisions.

24:07 You can really see how his own playing style and adaptability

24:10 fuels that desire as a coach. Absolutely.

24:12 It's all connected. So wrapping this deep dive up

24:16 then what a journey for Cess Fabregas from that prodigy at

24:20 Arsenal breaking records leading the team.

24:23 Through being a key part of Spain's unparalleled success

24:27 adapting at Barsa and Chelsea, setting assist records right up

24:31 to Como as a player, investor and now the coach.

24:34 We've seen his game evolve and heard his, well, quite critical

24:38 thoughts on how football itself has changed.

24:40 His playing career was just this amazing mix, wasn't it?

24:43 Technical genius, tactical smarts, that adaptability we

24:46 keep mentioning, and real mental strength.

24:49 A true conductor. And now this move into coaching

24:52 at Como, it's ambitious, it's got backing, it's got a clear

24:56 vision. It's definitely one to watch.

24:58 For sure. And his philosophy like

25:00 proactive football, smart, adaptable players, but trying to

25:03 blend that structure with more freedom and creativity, it's

25:07 fascinating. So as he tries to build this

25:09 Como team in Syria, is trying to implement this style, developing

25:13 these intelligent players, what's the final product going

25:17 to look like? How does a coach who bridges

25:19 that technical past and physical present actually shape a team?

25:22 Yeah, How does he balance that structure and freedom he talks

25:25 about? That's the big question, isn't

25:27 it? Something for you to really

25:28 think about as you watch his coaching career unfold.