McFarlane Steps In as Chelsea Interim Boss Ahead of City Clash
Chelsea under-21s coach Calum McFarlane has been handed interim charge of the first team following Enzo Maresca’s sudden departure, with Manchester City awaiting at the Etihad on Sunday.
Maresca left Stamford Bridge on Thursday after a poor run of form that saw Chelsea win just once in seven Premier League matches, slipping to fifth in the table and 15 points behind leaders Arsenal. His exit came amid reports of talks with City about potentially succeeding Pep Guardiola.
“Crazy 24 Hours”
McFarlane described his whirlwind promotion as both challenging and exciting. “It’s been a crazy 24 hours, a whirlwind, as you can imagine, but also really enjoyable and really exciting, so I can only feel positive about this,” he told reporters.
The interim boss said he was officially introduced to the senior squad on Friday and praised the players’ attitude in training. “They seem really focused, really driven and hungry. They know we’ve got a massive game on Sunday and we’re going to have to be at our best,” he said.
First Task: Manchester City
McFarlane’s immediate brief is to prepare Chelsea for their trip to face second-placed City. He admitted uncertainty over how long he will remain in charge but stressed that the club hierarchy has been supportive. “The brief is to prepare the lads for Manchester City on Sunday and that’s honestly all I know at the moment,” he added.
Maresca’s Tenure and Successor Speculation
Maresca’s 18 months at Chelsea included a return to the Champions League and silverware in the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup. Attention now turns to his successor, with Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior, whose club is owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo, emerging as the leading candidate despite limited Premier League experience.