Calum McFarlane is back in the Chelsea hotseat once again following the sacking of Liam Rosenior earlier this week. Rosenior was relieved of his duties on Wednesday after a disastrous 3-0 defeat to Brighton, which saw the Blues lose five matches in a row without scoring for the first time since 1912. Stepping into Rosenior's shoes, McFarlane has been appointed as the club's interim head coach until the end of the season.
McFarlane's Previous Stint
McFarlane is no stranger to this position, having undertaken the role earlier in the season. After Enzo Maresca left Chelsea at the start of this year, the 40-year-old was tasked with leading the first team for games against Manchester City and Fulham, before Rosenior himself was appointed. The away game against City finished as a highly respectable 1-1 draw, courtesy of an injury-time equalizer from Enzo Fernandez. The second game was less successful, with the Blues slipping to a 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage, but McFarlane still walked away from that temporary spell with considerable credit.
Current Challenges
McFarlane, who was part of Rosenior's backroom staff during his three months in charge, will be tasked with lifting the mood after a miserable few months at the club. His first assignment is today's FA Cup semi-final against arch rivals Leeds United, before attention turns to securing some form of European football for next season, with Champions League qualification now surely beyond reach.
Playing and Managerial Career
McFarlane's playing career was non-existent, and at a relatively young age, he opted to move into coaching. He joined Manchester City in 2020 and worked primarily as assistant manager for the Citizens' Under-18 side during his three years at the club. He would have known Maresca well, as the Italian was also working in City's academy at the same time before becoming Pep Guardiola's second in command. In Manchester, he also crossed paths with Joe Shields, Chelsea's current Co-Director of Recruitment and Talent, and Academy technical director Glenn van de Kraan. In 2023, McFarlane moved to Southampton, serving as U18 and U21 manager before the Blues hired him last summer as the U21 coach.
Tactics and Preferred Formation
McFarlane set Chelsea up in a 4-2-3-1 formation for the games against Manchester City and Fulham, and that system is likely to be deployed again for the remainder of the season. This shape is familiar to Chelsea's players, who have set up in that system for the overwhelming majority of their games this campaign.
Potential Next Permanent Manager
Former Chelsea left back Filipe Luis is among the frontrunners to become the next permanent manager. The 40-year-old impressed in his first role in management at Flamengo, winning a host of trophies including the Brazilian league title and the Copa Libertadores, before leaving the club in March. Others linked with the job include Cesc Fabregas, Oliver Glasner, and Andoni Iraola.
