Calum McFarlane has never held a permanent managerial position. He was not a professional footballer. Yet the 40-year-old south Londoner now finds himself preparing to lead Chelsea out at Wembley — the grandest stage English football has to offer — having been appointed caretaker manager for the second time this season following Liam Rosenior's dismissal on Wednesday.

McFarlane himself calls it a "whirlwind," and it is hard to argue. His first stint in temporary charge came in January, when he stepped in for Enzo Maresca and oversaw a creditable 1-1 draw at Manchester City — against Pep Guardiola, who was taking charge of his 1,012th career match. Now he returns under far more turbulent circumstances, with Chelsea having lost five consecutive league matches and slipping out of Champions League contention. Fan protests have grown, and the pressure inside the club is palpable.

"I know it's been tough recently but there's a lot of talent," McFarlane said. "Some of those players in there are some of the best players in the world for their position. There's still a belief within us. We can turn this around and get our season back on track."

A chance meeting in south London

McFarlane grew up in Forest Hill, south London, and by his own admission was a "failed footballer" who channelled his passion into youth coaching. He worked part-time with Crystal Palace and Fulham's academies before joining Lambeth Tigers — a move that would alter the course of his life.

At Lambeth Tigers, McFarlane crossed paths with Thomas Hafstad, a former Tromso player who was spending a year observing academies across England. Two of Hafstad's sons were playing at the club, and Hafstad was immediately struck by the young coach's ability.

"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," said Hafstad, now Tromso's technical director.

Hafstad invited McFarlane to join Tromso — the northernmost professional football club in the world — initially as an Under-14s coach. Over two years, McFarlane worked his way up to the Under-19s and even took first-team sessions, with the Norwegian club competing in European competition at the time. Hafstad has remained in contact with McFarlane and visited Chelsea's academy in November 2024. "I have no problem believing he could become a top manager in the near future," Hafstad said.

The charity that shaped a career

Returning home to Forest Hill, McFarlane spent six years — from 2014 to 2020 — coaching at the Kinetic Foundation, a south London charity supporting disadvantaged young people aged 11 to 19 through football and education. Players including Joe Aribo, Kwadwo Baah, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Josh Maja, and Errol Mundle-Smith have come through its academy.

"Calum wanted to come home and joined us in 2014 after working in Norway with Tromso," said James Fotheringham, who co-founded the charity. "We ultimately couldn't retain him financially, and his six-year stay with Kinetic came to an end in 2020 when opportunities followed because the work he was doing spoke for itself."

McFarlane's connection to Kinetic has drawn unwanted attention since his appointment. Two of his current Chelsea coaching staff colleagues — Harry Hudson, Chelsea's Under-21s manager, and Dan Hogan — are also Kinetic alumni. The charity has received social media abuse from some Chelsea supporters unhappy at the club's performances and its association with the Blues.

"There has been some criticism and abuse, which is regrettable. 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," Fotheringham said.

Doing the hard yards

After leaving Kinetic, McFarlane held roles at Manchester City's academy up to Under-18s level and within Southampton's academy before joining Chelsea at the start of this season to manage their Under-21s. He was subsequently promoted to first-team coach under Rosenior before being thrust into the caretaker role again this week.

One point of scrutiny has been the absence of formal coaching qualifications — McFarlane does not hold a Uefa Pro or A Licence. This restricts his caretaker tenure to a maximum of 12 weeks and would need to be addressed before he could take on a permanent Premier League role. However, his hands-on coaching experience now spans nearly 15 years across grassroots, academy, and elite environments.

Fotheringham is clear in his defence of McFarlane's credentials. "There is a misconception that he and the others lack experience. 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."

Chelsea officials are said to have been impressed by McFarlane's composure and professionalism during his first stint in charge — qualities he will need in abundance as he prepares to lead the club out at Wembley, a ground he has previously visited only as a spectator.