Chelsea have added their Under 21s and Under 18s head coaches to their first-team caretaker crew led by Calum McFarlane ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final showdown with Leeds United.
McFarlane, 38, has been asked to act as interim until the end of the season after the sacking of Liam Rosenior, who lasted only 106 days in his role after a remarkable downturn in results.
Among those supporting McFarlane in Chelsea’s makeshift set-up will be Harry Hudson, who usually leads the Under 21s, and Dan Hogan, who is the boss of the Under 18s. Bernardo Cueva, the set-piece specialist, and Ben Roberts, the goalkeeper coach, are also still working.
With Hudson and Hogan temporarily taking on first-team duties, Andy Ross and James Simmonds have taken over the Under 21s, and Frazer Robertson and Tom Howard are leading the Under 18s.
McFarlane, Hudson and Hogan all carry a connection in their CVs, having previously worked for the Kinetic Academy earlier in their respective careers
Chelsea are seeking to reach the FA Cup final by overcoming Leeds at Wembley on Sunday, while in the Premier League, they have four games remaining to push to secure European football for next season. Qualifying for the Champions League appears beyond them currently, however.
McFarlane, who is believed to hold an UEFA A Licence, previously led the first team as interim in January when Enzo Maresca left Chelsea. He oversaw a draw with Manchester City and a defeat by Fulham before Rosenior officially took over.
McFarlane, Hudson and Hogan all carry a connection in their CVs, having previously worked for the Kinetic Academy earlier in their respective careers.
After Leeds, Chelsea will face Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland in the Premier League. They have not scored in the league since March 4, and not kept a clean sheet since January 17, with McFarlane tasked with trying to spark a turnaround in their run-in.
