Chelsea Football Club have confirmed a significant reshuffle within their coaching setup, with interim boss Calum McFarlane securing a permanent promotion to the first-team staff.
From Caretaker to Permanent Role
Calum McFarlane, the 37-year-old who temporarily steered the senior side for two matches following Enzo Maresca's departure on New Year's Day, has been personally asked by new head coach Liam Rosenior to become one of his key assistants. This move means McFarlane will not return to his previous role managing the club's Under-21s side.
McFarlane's brief tenure in the hotseat saw him oversee a creditable 1-1 draw away at Manchester City, followed by a 2-1 defeat at Fulham. The latter match was marred by a red card shown to defender Marc Cucurella after just 22 minutes for denying Harry Wilson a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Rosenior's Early Impression
The decision to promote McFarlane stems directly from Rosenior's observation of his work over the past week. While McFarlane led training and managed the team at Craven Cottage, Rosenior assessed proceedings from the directors' box alongside club co-owner Behdad Eghbali.
Clearly impressed by how McFarlane handled the senior squad under challenging circumstances, Rosenior extended the offer for a long-term position on his backroom team. The pair are now set to begin their collaboration in earnest, with Rosenior's first training session scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Under-21s Succession Plan
With McFarlane moving upstairs, Chelsea have moved to fill the vacancy he leaves behind. Harry Hudson will be promoted to take charge of the club's Under-21s side moving forward.
The speed of McFarlane's promotion appears to have taken even him by surprise. Immediately after the Fulham loss, when questioned by reporters about returning to the youth team, he stated: 'As I'm aware, we're back with the Under-21s tomorrow.' He even inquired about their result in a 6-2 defeat to Benfica in the Premier League International Cup that evening.
Rosenior's debut match as Chelsea's new head coach will be an FA Cup third-round tie away at Charlton Athletic this Saturday, with McFarlane now firmly embedded in his first-team plans.
