Osian_Roberts

Osian Roberts

Osian Roberts

Welsh football coach and former player

Osian Roberts is a Welsh football coach and former player who is the caretaker manager and head of development of Italian Serie B club Como. In 2014 he was described in the media as "the most influential man in Welsh football."[1]

Quick Facts Personal information, Place of birth ...

Early life

Roberts was born in Anglesey,[1] and was brought up in Bodffordd on the island.[2]

Career

Roberts was a central midfielder,[1] and captained the Welsh Schools side.[2] He played in North Wales for Bangor City, Bethesda Athletic and Llangefni Town,[1][3] before moving to the United States at the age of 19 after receiving a scholarship to attend Furman University.[1] At Furman, he was named Southern Conference player of the year in 1986 and 1988.[4] He later played in the American Professional Soccer League for the New Mexico Chiles, where he was player-manager.[2]

After returning to Wales, he became Anglesey Football Development Officer in 1991.[1]

In June 2007 Roberts resigned as manager of Porthmadog to take up the position of Football Association of Wales technical director.[1] He has also coached the Wales under-16, Wales under-18 and Wales B teams, as well as helping coach the women's under-17 team.[1] In 2014, he was the subject of documentary series called Byd Pêl-droed Osian Roberts; it was shown on S4C.[2][5]

On 21 July 2015, Roberts was promoted to assistant manager of the Wales national team under team manager Chris Coleman.[6] Coleman resigned the manager role in November 2017 and Roberts stated that he wished to become the new national team manager.[7] Roberts was retained as assistant manager following the appointment of Ryan Giggs as Wales manager[8]

On 1 August 2019 it was announced that Roberts had become technical director of the Morocco national team.[9][10] He resigned in July 2021.[11]

In August 2021 he became assistant manager to Patrick Vieira at Crystal Palace.[12][13] Vieira was sacked by Crystal Palace in March 2023 with Roberts and other coaching staff also being released.[14]

In December 2023, Italian club Como announced the appointment of Roberts as their new caretaker coach until the end of the 2023–24 Serie B season, replacing Cesc Fàbregas; he will also serve as head of development for the club.[15]

References

  1. [1]
    "Osian's a football power in Wales". Wales Online. 24 June 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  2. [2]
    "Byd Pêl-droed Osian Roberts". S4C. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  3. [3]
    "Wales Assistant manager Osian Roberts awarded Honorary Fellowship". University of Wales Trinity Saint David. 12 July 2017.
  4. [4]
    "Furman University media guide (2012)" (pdf). Furman University. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  5. [5]
    "Osian Roberts - On TV". Football Association of Wales. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  6. [6]
    "Cardiff City coach Paul Trollope joins Wales set-up". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  7. [7]
    "Osian Roberts hopes to succeed Chris Coleman as Wales boss". BBC Sport. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  8. [8]
    "Wales football: Ryan Giggs to keep Roberts on Wales staff". BBC Sport. 23 February 2018.
  9. [9]
    "Osian Roberts: Wales assistant manager appointed Morocco's Technical Director". BBC Sport. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. [10]
    "Osian Roberts has 'fallen in love' with Morocco" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  11. [11]
    @Osian_Roberts (27 July 2021). "I can confirm that I have resigned from the @FRMF I have had a fantastic 2 years working in a truly beautiful count…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. [12]
    "Osian Roberts appointed Vieira's assistant - News". Crystal Palace F.C.
  13. [13]
    "Osian Roberts delighted after being appointed Crystal Palace assistant manager". BT.com.
  14. [14]
    "Palace sack manager Vieira after winless run" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. [15]
    "COMO 1907 APPOINTS OSIAN ROBERTS AS CARETAKER MANAGER". Como 1907. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
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