Fabregas: I rejected Inter's offer to coach, my true success is player development

Cesc Fàbregas, the manager of Como, has confirmed that developing players and building a clear identity for the club represents a success that sometimes surpasses winning titles. He noted that he previously turned down offers to manage major clubs, including Inter.

Cesc Fàbregas stated during his participation in the "Sports Festival" in Trento: "At Como we have a clear vision and idea. We have mutual respect, and there are wonderful people I trust completely and who trust me. I prefer to develop here now and appreciate those players who are of utmost importance to me and the club in building the team's identity."

He added: "Victories and titles are important, of course, but for me, when I see a player like Lucas Da Cunha moving from the second division to being called up and starting for the France national team, that is a victory for the coach that surpasses winning an individual title."

The Spanish coach spoke about several players who have developed under his leadership, saying: "I knew that many young players came to Como for me, and I don't say that out of arrogance, but because they believed in me. We all see Nico Paz now playing with the Argentina national team, but when he arrived two years ago from Real Castilla, his father placed his full trust in me. I can say the same about Valli, Beroni, Da Kona, and others. When I see them, I feel indebted to them; they trusted me, and I must give them everything I have."

Cesc Fàbregas revealed that he previously turned down the opportunity to manage Inter, explaining: "I am a person who thinks a lot and analyzes things deeply. I have previously rejected some proposals to take charge of major teams, such as Inter after the departure of Simone Inzaghi."

Como's project focuses not only on signing players but also on building a special system for the club. "We won Serie B and achieved promotion with 95% of Italian players, then we finished 10th in our first season in Serie A. One should not judge a company, coaching staff, president, or club based on a single season."

He added: "We do not lack good Italian players. Fagioli is very impressive, Tonali is very impressive, and Esposito is very impressive, but they also play in very strong teams. If we can buy them, we will buy them, but in return, we are creating a culture, an idea, and a model of our own."

Fabregas highlighted Como's interest in developing young talents, stating: "Today we have three Italian players under 16, three under 17, three under 18, three under 19, one under 21, and two in the first team. Little by little we are reaching our goal, and we are working and building on our idea, hoping that these players will reach the first team and we can develop them ourselves."

The coach gave an example with Mattia Liberali, saying: "When I spoke to him, I was very clear: we are not signing you because you are Italian, but because I really enjoy your style of play, and I really like your personality, your unique character, and your quality."

Cesc Fàbregas discussed his football philosophy, revealing the question he asks himself before every match: "How do I want to lose? That is my question. I want to lose in this way, because if the opponent is better, at least I will go home knowing that I played with my idea, our identity, and our way of playing football. Because if you lose a match in a way you didn't want to play or don't believe in, the loss is doubled."

He also spoke about the difficulty of managing the transfer market, explaining that the process of selecting players begins long before the market opens: "We always try to be one step ahead, which is equivalent to six months ahead. I see the required position, where the team is heading, what Como will look like in the near future, and where we can improve."

Cesc Fàbregas highlighted the extent of changes within the team, mentioning that the management has conducted 31 transfers. He stated: "This means that every six months there are about 15 transfers in and out. For any club, especially for the coaching staff and the manager, this is not an easy task. It makes you mature and develop faster, but there is a huge risk, as four or five players may lack experience and have very little time to integrate into the team's dynamics."