Chelsea are continuing their pre-season preparations, and their next match comes against AC Milan.
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Xabi Alonso has heaped praise on his Chelsea backroom staff and singled out one ‘special’ member of staff following his arrival.
The Chelsea manager has been settling into his new surroundings in recent weeks after signing a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge. This has seen him begin building relationships with both his playing squad and backroom team, as well as the club's hierarchy.
He has made his initial assessments, and ahead of Chelsea’s pre-season fixture against AC Milan in Indonesia, Alonso lauded Willie Isa during a 'Ask Me Anything' Q&A session with the club’s in-house media.
Asked how important his backroom staff will be during his time at the club, Alonso replied: "Willie Isa was different. We didn't have this figure at other clubs, but he's a special character, so we are working together really well."
Isa, the former New Zealand rugby star, joined the Blues in 2025 as a Player Support and Development Officer. He has since been part of the backroom team for Chelsea's UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup triumphs, while earning praise from several first-team players.
Alonso was also complimentary of both Calum McFarlane and goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts, whom he has both kept as part of his team, adding: "Working with Calum, he loves football, he knows so much. Ben, goalkeeping coach, great experience."
On his backroom team as a whole, Alonso concluded: "They are top professionals. They help me a lot. Nowadays, you need to control many areas, and they are specialists in an area to help take positions to get close to the players."
It has been all change at Chelsea since Alonso's arrival. Whilst McFarlane and Roberts have remained, it is a brand new look to the team who will support the new Blues boss.
Who is part of Chelsea's backroom team?
Chelsea shared a photo of Alonso and his team during their time in Asia as part of the club's pre-season tour.
It is currently made up of eight members of staff, plus Alonso, heading into the new season.
From left to right: Willie Isa, Austin MacPhee, Sebas Parrilla, Xabi Alonso, Ben Roberts, Ismael Camenforte, Calum McFarlane, Alberto Encinas, Benat Labaien.
The latest arrival is Austin MacPhee, who has joined from Aston Villa to become the club's new set-piece coach. He has replaced Bernardo Cueva, who has changed roles to a more off-pitch position, suggested to be taking on a more technical and advisory role - focusing on set-piece analysis, opposition preparation and performance insights.
Sebas Parrilla, Ismael Camenforte Lopez, Alberto Encinas, and Benat Labaien have all worked with Alonso previously at either Bayer Leverkusen and/or Real Madrid.
MacPhee has already been getting to work to improve Chelsea's set-piece defending and attacking.
Chelsea will be hoping to improve their record in 2025/26 and emulate Villa's success. They score 18 league goals last season from set-pieces, five more than the Blues (10). Only Arsenal (23), Manchester United (19) and Spurs (19) scored more.