Calum McFarlane can now make Chelsea history, he'd be the first in more than 50 years
Calum McFarlane has guided Chelsea into an FA Cup final, and next month, the interim manager can create Chelsea history if he manages to mastermind a shock win over Man City.
Liam Rosenior secured wins over Chelsea in four rounds of the competition, beating Charlton Athletic, Derby County and Wrexham as well as Port Vale in the quarter-finals with an enormous 7-0 victory.
While Rosenior got Chelsea to Wembley, albeit without facing Premier League opposition, McFarlane took the Blues one step further. Despite the crisis facing Chelsea, he guided Chelsea to a win against Leeds.
Enzo Fernandez’s header on Sunday proved to be enough at Wembley against a Leeds side in excellent form, unbeaten in the previous seven. But it was McFarlane’s tactical tweaks that got the job done.
Now, Calum McFarlane can write his name into Chelsea history
Chelsea now face Man City in the FA Cup final. It will be one of the remaining five games McFarlane faces as interim manager before Chelsea bring in a new gaffer. Talks have been opened for Andoni Iraola.
In the club’s history, Chelsea have won the FA Cup on eight occasions. Seven of those have been won by a foreign manager, with Chelsea’s first-ever triumph coming back in 1969-70 under Dave Sexton.
Of course, that came in the hotly contested final with Leeds United, in which the game went to a replay. The victory, 56 years ago, is the only time an Englishman has guided Chelsea to FA Cup glory.
Now, McFarlane can change that. For the first time in more than 50 years, an English manager could win the FA Cup with Chelsea. But McFarlane will have to overcome Pep Guardiola on May 16 at Wembley.
Which other managers have won the FA Cup with Chelsea?
Ruud Gullit ended a 27-year wait for Chelsea’s next FA Cup triumph, guiding the Blues to a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough. Three years later, Gianluca Vialli ended his two-year Chelsea stint with an FA Cup.
Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink won Chelsea’s next two FA Cup titles, which were Chelsea’s fourth and five FA Cup wins. The sixth came under a Chelsea legend in Carlo Ancelotti, a 1-0 win over Portsmouth.
Didier Drogba got the only goal of the game in that one, retaining the title two years later with Roberto Di Matteo. Ironically, Chelsea considered hiring Di Matteo on an interim basis before picking McFarlane.
The last time Chelsea won the FA Cup was under Antonio Conte, who has been linked with a return to Chelsea in the summer. McFarlane can add his name to that list, only the second Englishman to do it.
from Chelsea FC Latest News & Club Updates | The Chelsea Chronicle https://ift.tt/6iLhcsO
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