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The Chelsea squad have been fully focused on Sunday’s crunch meeting with Manchester City in the aftermath of the departure of manager Enzo Maresca, Blues Under-21 boss Calum McFarlane revealed.
McFarlane will take charge of Chelsea on a temporary basis following Thursday’s shock exit for Maresca, who sought a departure from Stamford Bridge after a breakdown in his relationship with those in charge.
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A popular figure among the squad, Maresca received an outpour of support from a number of players on social media but, once they reported to McFarlane, the squad have been ready to get to work ahead of Sunday’s game.
“You don’t know what to expect really, but the energy, enthusiasm and training was exceptional today,” McFarlane said ahead of the game. “They seem really focused. They’re really driven and hungry. They know we’ve got a massive game on Sunday and we’re going to have to be at our best. You can feel that.
“They’re professionals. They’ve done this a long time. They’ve been here before. Reece [James] has been brilliant. He’s been a real leader in the group and supported the staff and the players. You can’t ask for any more. It just seems like a real focus for getting the best performance we can on Sunday.”
McFarlane confessed the players are likely to have been asking questions about the future of the club, but those conversations have been kept away from the training ground.
“All my communication and relationships with the players have been around what training is going to look like today, what the next couple of days might look like, what Sunday might look like,” he continued. “So in terms of being a picture, I’m probably not the person that they’d be asking those questions.”
Results were only a minor part of Maresca’s departure from Chelsea. Instead, a number of behind-the-scenes issues with those in charge is thought to have left the Italian feeling unable to continue his work at Stamford Bridge.
Fans have been vocal on social media in support of Maresca, with many critical of co-owner Behdad Eghbali and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. McFarlane insisted he knew nothing of Maresca’s relationship with the hierarchy, but his own was one of positivity.
“I spoke to the directors and the owners and they’ve been really supportive,” he continued. “They’ve given us everything we need to be successful and nothing more we can ask for. They’ve been fully on board and we’re all in it together.
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“We’ve had a lot of really good support in the last 24 hours or so and the plan is moving forward. So my six months at the club, I can only speak positively about the plans, the project and how well it’s come across in the academy and the amount of opportunities the young lads are getting, which is, as a 21s coach, probably the most important thing for me. So I can only speak positively in all honesty.”
With one final message for the players, McFarlane added: “It’s always awkward when an interim comes in and it’s more for them than it is for us.
“It’s about them producing the level of performance that they’ve done before against top sides. We’ve had some top results this year and we know what this side is capable of. My message to them is bringing the best version of themselves and being all in it together and believing that we can get the next couple of days right and hopefully put in a good performance on Sunday.”
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