Chelsea legend John Terry confident Stuart McFarlane is up to the task of leading the first team into battle against Manchester City in Sunday’s heavyweight Premier League clash.
McFarlane described a ‘crazy 24 hours’ in his press conference ealier this week after he was asked to step up from the under-21s in the wake of Enzo Maresca’s sudden departure.
The former Southampton youth coach was called into the club’s Cobham training centre at around lunchtime on Thursday shortly after the decision was taken to part company with Maresca, and told he would be in charge at the Etihad.
After a pass was hurriedly prepared to enable him to access the first-team building, he led training with the squad on Friday ahead of the journey to Manchester.
‘It’s been a crazy 24 hours, a whirlwind as you can imagine, but really exciting,’ he said. ‘I can only feel positive. It’s been an amazing experience.’
Maresca left Chelsea on Thursday after the club became unhappy with the Italian’s conversations about possibly succeeding Guardiola at City and his reluctance to heed advice from the club’s medical staff about player fitness.
That meant a rapid albeit temporary elevation for McFarlane, who only joined the club from Saints last summer.
‘There’s a really good culture at the club in terms the support from first team, from the directors,’he said. ‘Everyone seems interested. When we’ve had big youth league games, the first-team players come cross and watch. There’s an academy presence there as well.
‘I was officially introduced this morning. My pass got changed to let me in. It’s exactly the same as whenever you work. We’re all in it for the same reasons, we all love football. There was a really good energy. We can’t ask for any more.’
Chelsea fans could be forgiven for having little to no idea about the man keeping the seat warm for the next incumbant, but Terry, who has worked with McFarlane in his current academy role, delivered a fascinating insight.
He said on his TikTok: ‘Callum joins the first team, and is taking the team at the weekend. Now, I’ve worked with Callum for the last six months, and I’ve said this previously to many people.
‘I’ve been really impressed with Cal since he came in the building, and wish him and the team nothing but good luck at the weekend.
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‘He’s a really, really good coach. Understandably, it’s a different level completely, coaching at the U21s, but he’s more than capable of holding the dressing room.
‘His sessions are first class, and yes he hasn’t had time to do anything or implement his style because he’s gone in for two days, but I’ve been very impressed with him and expect the Chelsea fans to get right behind him and the players this weekend.’
