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

Chelsea Under 21 head coach Calum McFarlane will take charge of the first team’s clash with Manchester City today whilst the club continue their search for Enzo Maresca’s successor.

Maresca, who departed Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day, 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 left his post.

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

And the task of preparing the team to take on City has fallen to McFarlane who, alongside his assistants, will be in the dugout at the Etihad later today.

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 worked 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.

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.

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‘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.’

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.