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QPR place Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave and name interims in charge for final game of season

QPR place Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave and name interims in charge for the final game of the season this weekend.

The 42 year old, who had been head coach since October 2023, is now on gardening leave, a term often used in football to indicate a manager’s suspension or exit while still under contract, typically to prevent them from joining a rival immediately.

John Percy tweeted: “#QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes is going. Cifuentes has not taken training today, amid uncertainty over his future. Cifuentes has been linked with #wba and is on their list of options to replace Tony Mowbray, though the process is still ongoing.”

In an update the following morning, he said: “West Brom are still going through the recruitment process and no one has been offered the head coach role at this point. Marti Cifuentes, who has been placed on gardening leave by #QPR, is NOT on the shortlist as it stands”

Assistant coaches Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm taking interim charge for the final 2024/25 match against Sunderland raises questions.

QPR STATEMENT:

MARTÍ Cifuentes has been placed on gardening leave.

Assistant coaches Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm will take charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis and prepare the squad for our final fixture of the 2024/25 campaign against Sunderland.

CEO Christian Nourry said: “This is naturally a disappointing situation for everyone concerned.

“I fully understand and appreciate supporters’ frustrations at this time.

“As a club, we are working to ensure this matter is resolved as swiftly as possible so we can start preparations in earnest for the future.”

Following QPR’s 5-0 home defeat by promoted Burnley on Saturday, Cifuentes said: “I said before that as long as I’m wanted, I’m very happy. The way the fans have been supporting me, it makes me feel that I want to give them something back even more than the last two seasons.

“In any case I am very calm about the job I have done and the fact that we have achieved what were difficult targets.

“I’m an ambitious person in the sense that I always push myself. I always want to improve. I have a contract and I want to keep improving. I enjoy my job here, enjoy English football, and am ready for more.”

QPR currently sit 15th in the Championship standings going into their final match of the season away at playoff side Sunderland on Saturday.

The Baggies now looking for their 7th manager in less than six years.

FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW QPR MANAGER

BetVictor – 30th April
Gary O’Neil – 5/1
Richie Wellens – 6/1
Ryan Mason – 8/1
Rob Edwards – 8/1
Xavi Calm – 12/1
Steve Cooper – 12/1
Russell Martin – 12/1
Kevin Betsy – 12/1

Here’s how fans reacted as QPR place Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave and name interims in charge for final game of season…

@MartinGriffin4: Fair enough, looking for a new job. We all do it. Massive slap in the face to the fans who backed him, though. Could have at least seen the season out 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ His football wasn’t the best. We were so inconsistent this season. Hope we get someone new in quicjly

@GoatedAdel: ‘I will never forget fans singing my name when we hadn’t won in 13, I won’t forget it for the rest of my life’. Fucking dirty rat

@qprclintdiaz: Wev been snaked again can’t believe it 😭😭😭

@sean_Qpr: Why is xavi calm in charge seeing as he will be going with him

@dhunter1993: Fuck him worse then Beale

@mattimpey: We move on… don’t forget any other manager would have been sacked during the 2 periods of poor results last season. We’re gonna get compo for him time to start looking for a new coach manager. Loosing Marti isn’t the end of the world .

@adam_bucky: Shame, would have liked him to stay but not irreplaceable, I think he could have built with us but hey ho. Not worse than Beale btw who was with us 5 mins and achieved fuck all. At least Marti did a job keeping us up last year

@HarryRJC: Gutted it had to end this way but if he doesn’t wanna be here this was the best decision; Xavi taking charge seems odd though. Will never forget the job he done last season, performed a miracle. 👋

@L_E_Bendon: Holloway to Leicester all over again. Could he not have waited until the end of the season? Of course this would be very awkward if West Brom end up appointing someone else for whatever reason.

@drewett_matthew: Just delaying the inevitable. Hopefully find a replacement soon as we can and start again next season. If QPR was a drama series, it would be the most watched. #QPR

@danhacks: Have to say Marti leaving is tougher than all the other managers. Thought he was the one to take us to the next level. Did a great job with the players he had but gutted! We go again! #nomarti #noparty #QPR

@tabuteauS: Marti Cifuentes is a top coach and he’s done well to deal with limited resources and unprecedented injuries. But QPR have always known there’s a life after. Club have always been careful to stipulate the game model is a club wide policy as is youth. They’ll try and find similar.

@SPG_QPR: We cant have this nonsense, the season isn’t over and he’s lifting his skirt to other clubs despite being under contract, he can kiss the badge, thump his chest all he likes, snake behaviour. Fair play to the club for not sacking him though, the compensation will come in handy.

@HarryRJC: Gutted it had to end this way but if he doesn’t wanna be here this was the best decision; Xavi taking charge seems odd though. Will never forget the job he done last season, performed a miracle. 👋

@MartinGriffin4: Fair enough, looking for a new job. We all do it. Massive slap in the face to the fans who backed him, though. Could have at least seen the season out 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ His football wasn’t the best. We were so inconsistent this season. Hope we get someone new in quickly

@Joemulcahy99: Time will tell and may be wrong but just don’t see it working out for him. He got a lot of backing and leeway whilst with us that I can’t see him getting there. Certainly won’t be backed if he goes on another 1 in 17 run 😂

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