Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane calls his first 24 hours ‘crazy’ as he prepares the team for a daunting Premier League clash against Manchester City.
LONDON: Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane described a “crazy 24 hours” after being thrust into the role ahead of a daunting trip to Manchester City.
McFarlane was officially introduced to the first-team squad on Friday following Enzo Maresca’s sudden departure on Thursday.
“It’s been a crazy 24 hours, a whirlwind, as you can imagine but also really enjoyable, really exciting, so I can only feel positive about this,” the former under-21s boss told reporters.
He said Friday’s training session had been “exceptional” ahead of Sunday’s match against the second-placed side.
“They seem really focused, really driven and hungry,” McFarlane added.
The interim boss confirmed the club hierarchy had been supportive but his future beyond the weekend is unclear.
“The brief is to prepare the lads for Manchester City on Sunday and that’s honestly all I know at the moment,” he said.
Maresca left with Chelsea fifth in the Premier League, having won just one of their last seven top-flight games.
His exit came amid reports he held talks with City about succeeding Pep Guardiola.
During his 18-month tenure, Maresca led Chelsea back into the Champions League and won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup.
Liam Rosenior, head coach of Chelsea-owned Strasbourg, is now the leading candidate to take over permanently.
