Chelsea confirm MacPhee as Set Piece Coach as Alonso names staff

Villa scored 18 goals in the Premier League from set-pieces last season, the joint fourth-highest total and five more than Chelsea. They also scored four more than the Blues in 2024-25.

MacPhee, who alongside his role at Villa was one of Roberto Martinez’s Assistant Managers with the Portugal national team from February 2025, was Assistant Manager at Cowdenbeath, St Mirren and Hearts as well with Northern Ireland and Scotland. He was also a Set Piece Coach at Danish side Midtjylland before moving to Villa Park.

Alonso building backroom team

Alonso was appointed on a four-year contract in the close season after previously managing Bayer Leverkusen, leading them to their first Bundesliga title, and Real Madrid.

He has experience of the Premier League as a player after spending five years with Liverpool.

Alonso has been building his backroom team with both current and new staff.

They are:

• Willie Isa (Player Support and Development Officer) – One of the staff already at the club when Alonso arrived, Isa retired from a long rugby league playing career, most of which was spent in England with Castleford, Widnes and Wigan, to move into football when joining Chelsea in February 2025.
• Sebas Parrilla (Assistant Coach) – Has worked with Alonso ever since the new Chelsea boss moved  into coaching – starting together leading Real Madrid’s Under-14 team in 2018. Spent more than 17 years working in Real’s Academy and then followed Alonso to Leverkusen before returning to the Bernebau with him.
• Ben Roberts (Head of Global Goalkeeping and Goalkeeper Coach) – Joined Chelsea in 2022 after working as Goalkeeper Coach at Yeovil, Charlton and Brighton. Spent most of his playing career on loan at different clubs but made most of his appearances in permanent spells at Middlesbrough and Brighton.
• Ismael Camenforte Lopez (Fitness Coach) – First worked with Alonso at Leverkusen before following him to Real Madrid. Also worked in the same role for Barcelona, New York City and the Danish national team.
• Calum McFarlane (Assistant Coach) – Had two spells as Interim First Team Manager last season following the departures of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. Joined the Blues in the 2025 close season as Under-21s Head Coach.
• Alberto Encinas (Assistant Coach) – Another to have followed Alonso from Leverkusen to Madrid. Previously coached at Barcelona.
• Benat Labaien (Assistant Coach) – First worked with Alonso at Madrid, having previously worked in the club’s youth set-up for three years. Has experience in England after a season as Assistant Coach at Leeds, while he also worked in the same role for Spanish clubs Fuenlabrada, Elche and Real Zaragoza and Qatari side Al-Wakrah. Was also an Analyst at Real Sociedad and Head Coach at Japan’s Tokushima Vortis.
• Bernardo Cueva (Technical Analyst) – Joined as Set Piece Coach in June 2024 from Brentford, where his job title was Strategic Analysis Manager – a role which covered analysing and coaching set-pieces. Also worked for Mexican side Club Deportivo Guadalajara.

Alonso and his staff are having their first chance to work with the players on a pre-season tour of Hong Kong.

The club finished 10th in the Premier League last season and kick off their new campaign at local rivals Fulham on Monday 24 August.