Osian Roberts on Building the Como 1907 Academy from the Inside Out

For Osian Roberts, academy development starts with a simple idea: create the right environment and football will follow. When he reflects on the last year at Como 1907, he talks first about people, and the daily work that makes a pathway feel real.

Roberts is quick to credit the academy leadership team, with thanks to Giancarlo Centi, Sergio Marelli and, in particular, Davide Facchin. Their work across the age groups, he says, underpins everything. From there, the focus has been cultural as much as technical: “One of the most important things that we needed to focus on was creating an environment where everybody can flourish.” That applies to young players and to staff, on the pitch and off it.

In the older age groups, Primavera and Under 17, that environment is built around support. Roberts speaks about developing the individual person first, because “if the person can develop and feel comfortable and confident and stable, then football will take care of itself.” Education matters. Psychological support matters. So does the practical reality of life in a new place. Around 24 young players are living in Como away from home, and the club has increased tutors and teachers to help them settle, feel safe and enjoy their journey.

At the same time, the academy is being aligned more closely with the first team. The aim is one direction of travel, with adjustments for age and stage, but a shared idea of what Como football looks like. A key example is the goalkeeping department, led by Enrico Malatesta, who previously worked with the first team. The brief is clear: develop goalkeepers who can play the way the first team needs them to play, comfortable with the ball, comfortable defending high, trained through a consistent methodology across the academy staff.

Roberts also points to growth in specialist departments, from fitness and nutrition to wellbeing and psychology, all working in the same framework. Recruitment is another step forward. A dedicated youth recruitment department, guided by Antonio D Ottavio, is designed to keep Como active in the city, the surrounding area and across Lombardia, in a region where competition for talent is intense.

Facilities matter too, especially when they change the everyday rhythm of training. The development of the Rovello Sporting Centre has brought immediate gains. With a new synthetic pitch and a second strong surface, teams can train properly, at the same time, on full pitches. Younger age groups are now coming to Rovello in the evenings, creating one shared home base and building chemistry across coaches and players.

Those facilities have also enabled an individual development programme, bringing players in during the week for additional sessions tailored by position, supported by dedicated coaches and analysts focused on feedback and progress.

For Roberts, the pathway becomes tangible when academy players step into first team space. Lorenzo Bonsignori is a recent example, arriving in the summer and making his debut in the Coppa Italia against Sassuolo at Sinigaglia. Matteo Pappacioli was on the bench the same night. Beyond the club, Roberts also notes international recognition, with De Paoli featuring at the Under 17 World Cup in Qatar and Andrea Le Borgne representing France at Under 20 level.

Le Borgne has since made his Serie A debut, and Roberts shares a moment that captures the alignment between academy and first team: “Cesc Fabregas said to me, ‘I want Andrea with the first team for the next six weeks.’” For Roberts, that is the point. Develop players, develop staff, and keep the door visible. Not as a promise, but as a standard to work towards, every day.

Watch the full interview with Osian Roberts online on Como TV.