Good or bad decision? as Chelsea could turn attention to former Chelsea star as future manager
Far from it, not all football players will be successful managers. Indeed, not every player in the game qualifies as a skilled pundit. In fact, we have seen several former players turn into horrible managers and commentators. Being a proficient player of the game does not imply that you are knowledgeable about football.
Certain football players possess high IQs, while others are simply exceptionally bright and excel in anything they set their minds to. There are some football players that you watch and marvel at how smart they are, how well they read the game, and how they always seem to be two steps ahead of everyone else. When they retire and become coaches, they are the players that I find interesting, and Cesc Fabregas is definitely one of them.
It was really fun to watch him play football. He simply made the game appear simple. And you could tell that he might have what it takes to be a very successful manager from the way he directed the play, guided others around him, and displayed leadership and influence when he was playing. He exudes a certain Pep Guardiola vibe, which is strange considering that they were both Barcelona players once.
When he played for Chelsea, the man wore a magic hat, and I’m quite sure he still does, although in a coaching capacity!
Having served as Como’s temporary manager the previous season, Fabregas, now 36, is the team’s assistant manager. He is grabbing items.
He has a clear understanding of tactical setups, and he is quickly becoming a tactical genius.
Obviously having tactical knowledge alone will not make you a good manager. He will need to gain experience at the top level, he will need to be a manager and prove himself. He will need to be flexible and pragmatic.
He will also need to make sure he can manage players on a personal level and keep motivation and spirits high amongst a large group of players. He will need to learn how to manage egos, unhappy players, the media, and the pressure. And he will need to be a leader.
But as a player, he also grew used to many of these elements, especially the pressure of doing it at the very top. He played for some of the best in some of the most high pressured games ever, and as I mentioned earlier, the guy is a natural leader.
But isn’t Cesc too nice to be a manager and instil discipline and leadership?
You’d be forgiven for thinking that, but it’s inaccurate. Cesc has been seen shouting and berating his players in the Como dressing room, and he certainly doesn’t hold back! I love seeing this kind of management. He is showing that he really can have it all in his coaching locker too.
Como are currently on course to be promoted to Serie A this season and have won their last 5 matches in a row. They are currently second, but they have been improving all season under the coaching of Cesc and manager Osian Roberts, who is actually the former assistant manager of the Wales national side, and Crystal Palace!
I’m certainly not advocating for Chelsea to go and hire Cesc as their next manager anytime soon, but they should certainly be keeping a very close eye on his progress and creating a good relationship with him at this stage, in the view to hiring him down the line. Because I have no doubts that he has the makings to become one of the next big managers, another Xabi Alonso perhaps, who was another super clever player on the pitch and now proving to be a super clever manager.
I love to follow along with stories like this. Some players retire and just leave the game, others try coaching and fail, some go into different businesses, others try different football routes such as punditry of directorship. For me, I think Cesc was not only born to be an elite football player, but also to become an elite football coach.