The corridors of power at Como have been notably calm this week, and for good reason. Director Carlalberto Ludi has offered a firm dose of reality to...
The corridors of power at Como have been notably calm this week, and for good reason. Director Carlalberto Ludi has offered a firm dose of reality to those who had already packed Nico Paz off to Inter or back to Real Madrid. Ludi's message is simple: the club never lost its nerve. When the vultures circle over Lake Como, it takes a cool head to keep the squad intact. Paz has been the bright spark in a side still finding its feet in the top flight, and it would have been easy for the hierarchy to cash in on the hype. Instead, Ludi insists the club was always confident that the young playmaker would remain. There was no squeaky bum time in the boardroom, no frantic calls to agents. Just a quiet belief that the project being built around the lake holds more appeal than a bench warmer's role elsewhere.Elsewhere, the suggestion that Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah is on his way to Italy has been batted away with typical directness. Ludi made it clear that no negotiation exists, either formal or informal. That will disappoint those hoping to see a Premier League standard defender shore up a backline that can still look vulnerable against quick transitional play. For now, Como will continue to work with what they have, trusting their tactical flexibility rather than splashing cash on name value alone.It is a refreshing stance in a window defined by panic and short term thinking. Como are playing the long game, and they want you to know it. Whether that patience pays off come May remains to be seen, but right now, Ludi is calling the shots with the kind of authority that suggests this club has learned from past mistakes. The rest of Serie A has been warned.
