Calum McFarlane has told Chelsea’s next permanent head coach he will inherit a squad of ‘quality’ players who have answered questions about their ‘fight and heart.’ The Blues missed the chance to salvage some silverware from a dreadful season at Wembley on Saturday, with Antoine Semenyo’s wonderful goal sealing victory for Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Alonso Deal Imminent
Shortly after the final whistle, it was widely reported the Blues had reached an agreement with Xabi Alonso to take over at Stamford Bridge. The club have considered a number of options to replace Liam Rosenior, who was dismissed last month, with the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid boss emerging as the new front runner this week. A four-year deal with the Spaniard has now been finalised, with an official announcement imminent.
Recent Form and Performance
Chelsea lost six consecutive Premier League games to create unwanted history for the club, ending that run with a spirited draw away to Liverpool last weekend. There was further improvement in their performance against City, and they were perhaps only let down by some poor finishing at Wembley. McFarlane, who took the reins as interim boss for the second time following Rosenior’s exit, believes his side’s display proved there is genuine quality running through the squad.
Having been accused of downing tools under the former coach, he insisted the group will have also silenced many who have doubted their commitment to the cause.
McFarlane's Praise
Asked if Chelsea’s new coach would have liked what they saw today, McFarlane said in his post-match press conference: ‘It’s a really talented group, there is lots of quality in that group. Their fight and heart has been questioned at times, but the last two performances, I don’t think you can question that. I think they gave everything today to try and win that trophy for the club.’
Alonso has been out of work since he was sacked by Real Madrid in January after 233 days in charge. The former Liverpool midfielder was heavily linked with a return to Anfield, turning down the club in 2024 following Jurgen Klopp’s departure. While the Reds have endured a thoroughly underwhelming season, falling to their 20th loss of the season against Aston Villa on Friday night, they currently have no plans to part ways with Arne Slot.
