Seven months in the past, Calum McFarlane was working as a youth crew coach at Southampton. Seven weeks in the past, he was making ready ’s Below-21s for a match towards Studying. And as lately as seven days in the past, his safety go at Chelsea’s coaching floor wouldn’t even permit him into the first-team constructing.
Now, in a twist that feels extra just like the plot of a Hollywood sports activities drama than the fact of Premier League soccer, McFarlane might be managing the membership’s first crew towards ’s Manchester Metropolis this weekend. It will likely be his first ever senior recreation as a coach. For Guardiola, it is going to be the 1,012th. It makes for one of many greatest managerial mismatches in soccer historical past.
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As a membership, Chelsea are accustomed to such turbulence within the dugout. Teaching adjustments are par for the course at Stamford Bridge, beneath their BlueCo house owners and beneath Roman Abramovich earlier than them. For McFarlane, although, these at the moment are essentially the most surprising and extraordinary days of his skilled life. “A loopy 24 hours,” he stated of his sudden promotion to interim head coach . “A whirlwind.”
The primary query that Chelsea supporters might be asking is a straightforward one. Who’s McFarlane? Even the extra dedicated members of the fanbase may not have observed his arrival from Southampton this summer season. He had really joined the membership as assistant coach to the U21s, however was promoted following the departure of Filipe Coelho to sister crew Strasbourg.
Earlier than Southampton, McFarlane had spent a while as a youth crew coach at Metropolis. You’d suppose this might give him a slight benefit earlier than Sunday’s assembly, however sadly not. Requested in his press convention on Friday whether or not he is aware of Guardiola from their time collectively on the membership, McFarlane gave a one-word reply: “No.”
In additional encouraging information for Chelsea followers, McFarlane does have an present relationship with among the first-team gamers he might be main this weekend. His greatest U21 gamers usually prepare with the senior squad, whereas among the first-team stars like to look at massive academy matches that happen on the membership’s Cobham coaching floor.
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McFarlane, who was requested by a radio journalist whether or not he’s having fun with his “quarter-hour of fame”, admitted that “it’s at all times awkward when an interim is available in” but additionally insisted he’s relaxed in regards to the prospect of taking over Metropolis. “I don’t really feel well-known, aside from just a few textual content messages,” he stated.
He received the decision on Thursday afternoon, scuppering his plans for the day. “I used to be really on the way in which to a Windsor gentle present with my household,” he stated. “I received a name and so they principally stated: ‘When are you able to get in? I stated I could possibly be there in an hour.’ So the missus wasn’t very joyful about that. She nonetheless went [to the show] with my little ones. They received their cash’s price.”
McFarlane received the decision on Thursday and needed to forsake a visit to a Windsor gentle present to brush up on Metropolis’s newest performances – Chelsea FC by way of Getty Picture/Darren Walsh
The early discover at the very least gave him and his assistants a while to analyse Metropolis’s latest video games after which watch their draw at Sunderland. “The crew must be ready and prepared for the sport on Sunday, and our job is to provide them one of the best alternative to carry out in that enviornment,” he stated.
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“It’s not about us as a workers. I do know that’s the narrative, nevertheless it’s not. In the end, it’s a soccer match. It’s probably not about me or my first recreation or taking part in towards Pep. It’s about Chelsea versus Metropolis. Two prime sides. We’ll go there and compete.”
Earlier than working at Metropolis and Southampton, McFarlane coached within the academies of Fulham and Crystal Palace and likewise spent a while with Norwegian aspect Tromso. On Friday, a headline in a neighborhood Norwegian newspaper excitedly declared that certainly one of their former coaches had landed a “gigantjobb” (large job).
As an academy coach, McFarlane has labored in a wholly completely different constructing to Maresca at Cobham. McFarlane described his relationship with Maresca as “skilled”, and what you’d anticipate of an under-21 coach and the first-team supervisor. “Lots of our gamers go throughout and prepare with the primary crew,” he stated. “They [Maresca and his staff] have been actually good and eager about how a few of our youthful boys are doing.”
McFarlane is evidently beneath no illusions about his position within the grand scheme at Chelsea. His communication with the gamers, for instance, has merely been in regards to the Metropolis match and the preparations for it. Questions across the wider points, such because the appointment of a brand new everlasting head coach and the time it would take, are merely not for him.
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It’s fully potential that he’s given just one recreation earlier than returning to his traditional place within the academy. Nonetheless, on a private degree, it’s a fabulous alternative. McFarlane has one shot at glory, and it comes towards arguably the best coach of all time.