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  • 3 days ago
MCFarlane on Chelsea's draw at City and new manager

04/01/2026

Etihad stadium, manchester, uk

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Sports
Transcript
00:00At Rosser, just third row, please.
00:04Hi, Callum. What sort of experience was that for yourself, especially with the late equaliser at the end?
00:10Yeah, it was a great experience. It was a great game to be a part of.
00:14Really proud of the players and how they performed, especially in the second half.
00:19And yeah, great occasion.
00:21You said on Friday that you were calm. Did that stay the whole way right up to kick-off?
00:26Were there any nerves just before kick-off?
00:29Surprisingly not. I was expecting when you get to the stadium maybe to feel it.
00:34Obviously, first time being involved in a game of this magnitude, I thought, and then I didn't.
00:38I felt normal. I thought when the stadium was forward, feel it.
00:42I thought when the game went on, honestly, it just felt really normal.
00:46I've done this for a very long time. Not at this level, of course, but yeah, I felt really normal and I really enjoyed it.
00:52Just another day, nicking a point off Pat.
00:55Yeah.
00:57Kieran in the front here, please.
00:59Can you just explain exactly the tactical tweaks you made at half-time?
01:05So it looked like a change of formation. What did you do there?
01:08Yeah, so we didn't expect them to shape up the way they did in the first half with the six on the top line.
01:14We prepared slightly differently. So then they had a lot of control and we were getting pinned back with Esteval and Pedro getting pinned back to defending a back five at times, which means that they have so much control and so much rhythm.
01:26So that's not how we wanted the game to look. So we made a change at half-time to go more man for man against the ball and to be able to get more pressure and disrupt their rhythm and hopefully force them to go a little bit longer.
01:38I also think Andre Santos coming in at half-time and moving Enzo up one. I thought Andre was exceptional. I thought he really, really controlled the middle of the pitch. So I think in terms of in possession and out of possession, the shape change really helped us and the sub we made.
01:54And then I thought Liam was a good sub as well because I thought Liam gave us a really good outlet to go a little bit more direct and occupy the centre half.
02:01But we can talk about that, but I think the most impressive thing is probably the players.
02:07Like 1-0 down at the Etihad, interim manager, players falling ill on the day of the game, the day before the game, all the change.
02:14And for them to regroup and take that information on and execute it speaks volumes about the characters we have at this club.
02:20Young players in those moments, they may crumble, but I thought they were exceptional second half.
02:26Can I just check, do you know what the next day, two days, three days look like for you?
02:31Do you have to go into Cobham tomorrow, take a session, a recovery session? What's going to happen now?
02:36Yeah, so we're training tomorrow. We're training tomorrow.
02:40So unless I'm told otherwise, this evening I'll be taking that session.
02:45My sole focus has obviously been on this game and the challenge that this is.
02:50But until I'm told otherwise, I'll lead the team. So for this moment, I'm taking the session tomorrow.
02:56Simon, third row, please.
02:59Hey, Callum, congrats on the result. Did Pep say anything to you after the game?
03:05I don't remember, actually.
03:06I just shook his hand and said, good game.
03:12It's an honour to play against someone like Pep Guardiola, who's for me the best manager that's ever managed.
03:16And he was really respectful and really polite, but I don't remember exactly what he said.
03:22It wasn't anything of note.
03:25But yeah, it was an honour to play against him.
03:27I think you've already said to Kieran that tomorrow you're focusing on training, but the under-21s got a game on Wednesday.
03:35Do you think you might be in charge of that or are you still on hold, as it were?
03:39I think that will depend on when the new manager comes in.
03:43So if the new manager comes in before Wednesday, I'll be looking forward to taking the under-21s against Benfica.
03:50We've got a really good under-21s group that are doing well this year and a lot to play for for the second part of the season.
03:56And if he's not in and the club need me to continue and take the Fulham game, I'm more than happy to do that as well.
04:01So it's all dependent on what happens with the new manager.
04:05And a final one for me, there's been reports in France, I think, that you might be being lined up for a Strasbourg job.
04:12Can you say anything about that?
04:15That's the first I've heard of that, so I have no idea.
04:19Mike?
04:19Is there a timescale on how long it could, you know, are you expecting it to, are you expecting to kind of have the next few days with the team as well as tomorrow?
04:31Yeah.
04:32So when I first took the job, I was told that I will take the Manchester City game.
04:37So that was three days with the group.
04:40There's a chance that the new manager will be in on Monday.
04:42That's what I was told originally.
04:43Obviously, it's Sunday now.
04:46We've been solely focused on the game.
04:47So I'm sure I could get more information once I'm out of this press conference.
04:52But for all I know, the new manager will be in shortly and I will lead the team until he's in.
04:57Can I ask your emotion as well when in front of the fans, I think the players kind of pushed you forward?
05:06Yeah, I didn't want to do that, if I'm honest.
05:09But Rhys asked me to.
05:10And I think it's a good moment to maybe speak about the players.
05:15Like, this is not an easy job.
05:17Like, there's a lot of change that's gone on.
05:19Enzo was incredibly successful with this group.
05:21Some of them were shocked by the decision.
05:24So the character that they've shown in the last two days, the character that they've shown today, Rhys is a big one.
05:31Like, Rhys, Tosin, Enzo, they've really dragged the group together because everyone thought we were coming here to lose.
05:39Everyone, no one thought we stood a chance.
05:42But we knew that the character and the talent in this group did and they've really dragged it through.
05:47So I can't speak highly enough about the characters in the group.
05:50And that's just another moment of Rhys being selfless and wanting to share the plaudits, really.
05:56You mentioned the illness.
05:58Is that for Farno?
05:59Was he the only one?
06:01And what was the...
06:03How did that lead up to him?
06:05Yeah, so obviously we've got Kuku was injured, who's a big player for us.
06:08Moises was suspended, who's a massive player for us.
06:11Rob pulled out yesterday, this morning, like we were trying to get him through, Sanchez.
06:17And then Wes pulled out at lunchtime today with a really high temperature.
06:21So, and all the lads that are injured, suspended, they're all here.
06:26Levi's here.
06:27They're supporting the lads in the changing room.
06:29They're around it.
06:30Like, you don't get that everywhere.
06:32Like, they care so much about this group and the players and their mates.
06:35So, we've had everything against us, but this group's shown that when their back's against the wall,
06:41they've got the talent and character to be successful.
06:43So, I'm really, really proud of those players.
06:45Of the whole group, sorry.
06:46I'm really proud of the whole group.
06:48Okay, we'll have to leave it there, guys.
06:49Thanks very much.
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