Chelsea's Unlikely Interim Boss Makes Whirlwind Rise in 2026

Calum McFarlane, a 40-year-old with no permanent managerial experience, takes charge of Chelsea for the second time due to Liam Rosenior's sacking.

From Grassroots to Elite Calum McFarlane's incredible rise can be described as a 'whirlwind'. He was not a professional player and had never been a permanent manager before, but he diligently worked his way up through the grassroots game to the elite level. McFarlane will begin his second spell as caretaker manager at Chelsea following Liam Rosenior's sacking on Wednesday, and he will start at the grandest surroundings - Wembley. He has only previously visited the ground as a spectator. ## McFarlane's Story McFarlane grew up in Forest Hill, south London, and was a 'failed footballer' who moved into youth coaching. Alongside part-time roles at Crystal Palace and Fulham's academy, McFarlane started coaching Lambeth Tigers. There were two boys from Norway at the club who just happened to be the sons of former Tromso player Thomas Hafstad. 'In 2012, I spent a year in London observing academies at different clubs in England,' Hafstad said. 'Instantly, I could see Calum was a very good coach. He listened to the players - young boys of 11 and 12 - and really understood how to work with them.' ## From Tromso to Chelsea Hafstad took McFarlane to Tromso, initially as an Under-14s coach. 'He did very well in two years with us,' said Hafstad. 'He moved up to coach the under-19s and even took first-team sessions. At the time, we were in European competitions, so it was a strong period for the club.' After Tromso, McFarlane spent six years until 2020 working as a coach at the Kinetic Foundation. The south London-based football and education charity has produced both coaches and players. ## Kinetic Foundation's Pride The Kinetic Foundation is a huge source of pride to them that McFarlane and two other of its former coaches - Dan Hogan and co-founded Harry Hudson - are part of Chelsea's coaching staff. 'There has been some criticism and abuse, which is regrettable,' said James Fotheringham, who founded the charity alongside his childhood friend Hudson. 'We are a charity that exists to keep young people in education, support their development and create opportunities. The work we do speaks for itself.' ## Doing the Hard Yards McFarlane joined Chelsea at the start of the season to take charge of their Under-21s. His now-assistants Hudson and Hogan also joined Chelsea's academy at lower-age groups this summer. 'There is a misconception that he and the others lack experience,' said Fotheringham. 'We celebrate players who come from non-league, like Jamie Vardy, so why not coaches? In reality, they have spent years working in academies, grassroots football and challenging environments. They have done the hard yards.'