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How the Kinetic Foundation helped launch McFarlane’s rise at Chelsea
TL;DR
Calum McFarlane, along with his assistants, will lead Chelsea in the FA Cup final after a rapid rise from the Kinetic Foundation charity. Despite accusations of cronyism, supporters emphasize McFarlane's extensive coaching experience at various clubs.
Key points
- Calum McFarlane will lead Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
- He rose from the Kinetic Foundation charity to Chelsea's interim manager.
- Accusations of cronyism are linked to his connections with Joe Shields.
- McFarlane has extensive coaching experience at multiple clubs.
- Coaching staff changes at Chelsea facilitated McFarlane's promotion.
Mentioned in this story
Kinetic Foundation
ChelseaManchester City
As meteoric rises go, Calum McFarlane’s takes some beating. Six years after he and his assistants Harry Hudson and Dan Hogan were working for a south London charity that provides football and education for disadvantaged children, they will lead out Chelsea to face Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
There have been accusations of cronyism given they have connections to Joe Shields, Chelsea’s co‑head of recruitment, that go back years, to when McFarlane, Hudson and Hogan were at the charity, the Kinetic Foundation, or beyond. But James Fotheringham, Kinetic’s co-founder, is dismissive of that.
“The narrative is of people being given an unfair opportunity,” he says of a backlash that has led to abusive messages being posted on Kinetic’s social media sites since McFarlane was appointed as Chelsea’s interim manager for the second time this season. “Calum did the hard yards at City, Southampton and Chelsea and has got seasons under his belt to get to that position. I think if anyone gets thrown into a six-game environment, you bring someone who you’ve been on the touchline with for 300 games and who knows how you work … That’s the truth of the situation Calum’s in.”
Shields, who met Hudson when both worked at Crystal Palace’s academy, has never had a formal connection to Kinetic, although he scouted players from its academy in previous roles at City and Southampton. He had departed Southampton for Stamford Bridge before McFarlane moved to the south-coast club as the under-18s coach. McFarlane then joined Chelsea in the summer, as did Hudson and Hogan.
In January McFarlane was promoted to Liam Rosenior’s coaching team from his role with the under-21s, having impressed in his first spell as interim manager, during which Chelsea drew at City. An academy reshuffle then led to Chelsea’s long-serving under-18s coach Hassan Sulaiman moving to a role as pathways relationship manager and being replaced by Hogan, who had been the under-16s manager, while Hudson stepped up from assistant to Sulaiman to replace McFarlane as the under-21s head coach. “Harry doesn’t have social media,” says Fotheringham. “He’s always been like: ‘People can say whatever they want.’”
Q&A
What is the Kinetic Foundation and its role in McFarlane's career?
The Kinetic Foundation is a charity that provides football and education for disadvantaged children, where McFarlane and his assistants began their coaching careers.
Why has Calum McFarlane faced accusations of cronyism at Chelsea?
Accusations of cronyism stem from McFarlane's connections with Joe Shields, Chelsea's co-head of recruitment, which date back to their time at the Kinetic Foundation.
How did McFarlane's coaching journey lead him to Chelsea?
McFarlane's coaching journey included roles at Manchester City, Southampton, and Chelsea's under-21s before being promoted to interim manager.
What changes occurred in Chelsea's coaching staff leading to McFarlane's promotion?
An academy reshuffle led to McFarlane's promotion to interim manager, with Hogan and Hudson taking over under-18s and under-21s coaching roles, respectively.
