Calum McFarlane has been appointed the interim head coach of Chelsea Football Club’s first team following the departure of Enzo Maresca.
His first challenge would be leading Chelsea in a Premier League fixture against Manchester City on Sunday, January 4, 2026 despite having never previously managed a senior professional match.
Background
At approximately 40 years old, McFarlane has built his coaching career entirely off the pitch, having not played professional football.
He began coaching in youth development, with experience at Manchester City’s academy, where he spent multiple years working primarily with youth teams, including as an assistant with the Under-18s.
After his time at Manchester City, he served as head coach for Southampton’s youth sides, including their Under-21 team.
In summer 2025, he joined Chelsea’s academy staff, taking over their Under-21s squad after a short stint as assistant.
Under McFarlane’s direction, Chelsea’s Under-21 team has achieved good results, including a top-four Premier League 2 position and strong showings in the UEFA Youth League.
With no permanent successor ready for Enzo Maresca, McFarlane has been elevated to caretaker manager for the first-team match against Manchester City in what he has described as “a crazy 24 hours”.
He has retained most of his Under-21 coaching staff including assistants Andy Ross and James Simmonds and analyst Adam Keep with only one member of Maresca’s previous senior coaching team (set-pieces coach Bernardo Cueva) remaining for the immediate period.