Who is Calum McFarlane? Chelsea caretaker manager in charge for Man City clash | Football

Chelsea are on the hunt for their seventh manager of the Todd Boehly era after Enzo Maresca departed Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day.

Maresca enjoyed a successful 18 months in the Blues dugout, winning the Club World Cup and Conference League, with the team looking on track to compete for major honours once again.

But behind the scenes, tensions had been brewing between the head coach and club’s hierarchy and with the team’s form also dipping over the last month, the Italian has left his post.

The timing of Maresca’s exit could not be worse, coming just days before one of Chelsea’s biggest matches of the season: Manchester City away.

Whoever the new head coach may be, they will not be hired in time to take charge of Sunday’s fixture but we do now know who will be in the dugout at the Etihad on Sunday.

Maresca’s assistant and former Blues goalkeeper Willy Caballero would have been an option, but it seems he and the rest of the first-team coaching staff are also departing the club.

It has now been confirmed that Calum McFarlane will take the pre-match press conference on Friday and the Chelsea Under-21 boss and his assistants have been asked to prepare the senior team for the Premier League game.

Calum McFarlane playing and managerial career

McFarlane’s playing career was – to put it bluntly – non-existent and at a relatively young age he opted to move into coaching.

He joined Man City in 2020 and working primarily as assistant manager for the Citizens’ Under-18 side during his three years at the club.

The 40-year-old 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.

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In his short time at Cobham, McFarlane has impressed club officials, with the Chelsea U21s fourth in the Premier League 2 table, winning six of their nine games so far.

‘It’s just a great environment,’ McFarlane said after his arrival at Chelsea in August.

‘Everything’s done so well and to such a high standard that it gives the lads a great chance to succeed.

‘I’m really proud to be at a club like Chelsea. Obviously over the last 10 to 20 years they’ve been right at the forefront of elite youth development, really successful sides, so many players who have come through the academy to make first-team appearances at this club or all over Europe, the Premier League and Championship.

‘So really excited to be a part of an elite programme and excited to be working with the next generation of talent coming through at Cobham.’

Calum McFarlane tactics and preferred formation

Under McFarlane this season, Chelsea U21s have lined-up as a 4-2-3-1 and, occasionally, as an attacking 4-3-3 formation – the same as Maresca.

As a result, there shouldn’t be much difference in the way Chelsea line-up when they travel to Man City on Sunday but McFarlane has never taken charge of a senior professional football match.

The Blues have won just one of their last seven Premier League games and begin the weekend fifth in the table, 15 points off leaders Arsenal.

A goalless draw with Sunderland on New Year’s Day, has left Man City in second, four points behind the Gunners.

Who will be Chelsea’s next manager?

Plenty of names have been linked with replacing Maresca, including Cesc Fabregas, Francesco Farioli and Frank Lampard.

But it seems Todd Boehly and co. only have eyes for one head coach: Liam Rosenior, who has done very well for Strasbourg, the Ligue 1 club also owned by Chelsea chiefs BlueCo.

They would no doubt have hoped that the former Hull City boss could take charge at Stamford Bridge, but were probably not expecting to call on him so soon.

Given the ownership situation, it would in theory be an easy appointment, but it remains to be seen whether Rosenior would even be interested in the role and leaving his high-flying Strasbourg midway through the season.

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