Martí Cifuentes

think they are reading the social media as they got a lot of stick for walking straight off at Stoke .

Reckon norry is monitoring what the fans are saying.

Congratulations Gaffer

Very good read this kid is very good

Direct link is here if this helps?

www.linkedin.com/pulse/mart%25C3%25AD-cifuentes-architect-qprs-resurgence-efl-spotlight-edward-lynch-zn4yf

Copied and pasted...

On October 28, 2023, the abrupt dismissal of Gareth Ainsworth as QPR Manager marked a pivotal moment for the club. Ainsworth, after a challenging stint with only five wins in 28 games, left QPR in 22nd place with eight points from 14 games. However, blaming the entire situation on Ainsworth would be oversimplifying the underlying issues.

Profit Sustainability Regulations (PRS) had a significant impact, limiting much-needed reinforcements during the summer transfer window. The departure of Michael Beale in the previous season and Neil Critchley's brief tenure added to QPR's struggles. The exit of Les Ferdinand in the summer signaled relief for fans, ending a decade characterized by poor recruitment and operational inconsistency.

In the midst of the turmoil, Martí Cifuentes emerged as a catalyst for change. This analysis explores the transformations initiated by Cifuentes, shedding light on the future prospects and the ongoing project at QPR under the Spanish manager.

For years, I've argued that QPR's problems go beyond a single person or decision, pointing to deep-rooted structural issues. Since relegation from the Premier League in 2014-2015, the club has had nine different managers, each bringing diverse ideas. QPR has struggled to establish a clear identity over the past decade.

In a podcast conversation over a year ago, Mark Warburton, who managed QPR for about three years, stabilized the club in respectable positions. Narrowly missing the playoffs in his final year, the decision not to extend Mark's contract, objectively speaking, appears to be a significant mistake. Among all the managers in the last decade, Mark achieved the highest average win percentage at 37.3%. Out of his 156 games in charge, Mark won 56 and lost 59, a commendable feat considering financial struggles and incompetence at the club's top.

Charlie Austin expressed disagreement with QPR's decision to dismiss Mark, citing poor recruitment and injuries as undermining factors. The following season, Michael Beale's short stint of just 180 days resulted in winning 9 out of 22 games. In a recent interview with Neil Banfield, former assistant to Michael Beale, Neil defended Michael's decision to leave for Rangers, emphasizing Rangers felt like home. I challenged Neil on the conflicting loyalty portrayed by Michael, to which Neil maintained both have no regrets, a stance I found surprising and lacking accountability

Moving forward, I want to shift the focus from the past to the current season and QPR's future. Over the last nine years, QPR has grappled with mediocrity and poor decision-making. While I admired Amit Bhatia, the former Chairman, for his diligence and honesty, questions arise about the overall commitment shown by the board in recent seasons and the club's persistent instability.

In the past season, QPR saw a reduction in pre-tax loss from £24.7m to £20.3m, accompanied by a 5% increase in revenue to £23.3m and a rise in player sales profit from £0.2m to £1.0m. While operating expenses decreased by 2% to £45.5m, net interest swung from £0.7m payable to £0.8m receivable. Commercial revenue notably increased by 19% to £8.7m, and gate receipts slightly rose to £5.7m, but broadcasting fell by 4% to £8.8m. Staff costs were cut by 8% to £25.4m, and player amortization dropped by 14% to £3.1m. However, despite these positive shifts, QPR's £20.3m loss remains among the highest in clubs that have disclosed 2022/23 accounts, surpassed only by Norwich City (£27.2m) and Bristol City (£22.2m), highlighting the financial challenges in the division.

These accounts offer glimpses of the fundamental problems that have caused a decline in performance both on and off the pitch. Recently, Les Ferdinand discussed the challenges in a podcast with Simon Jordan, suggesting that QPR's best course might have been a relegation to League 1. This would have allowed them to shed big earners from the wage books, providing a buffer against the Profit Sustainability Regulations (PRS) that have hampered QPR's recruitment in recent seasons. Notably, QPR still operates without a director of football, a glaring concern for the future.

The new CEO, Christian Nourry, has asserted that QPR will undergo a transformation in both playing style and overall operations. Notably, significant changes in recruitment have led to improved results since February, with QPR losing only one of their last eight matches and climbing out of the relegation zone.
I aim to spotlight the pivotal figure behind QPR's transformative journey since the departure of Gareth Ainsworth's challenging tenure. Martí Cifuentes has orchestrated a notable turnaround, securing 8 wins, 6 draws, and 8 losses in his 22 games in charge. This contrasts starkly with Ainsworth's record of 5 wins, 4 draws, and 19 losses, resulting in a significant difference in win percentages, with Ainsworth at 17.86% and Cifuentes at an impressive 36.36%. However, assessing this transformation solely based on results would be shortsighted.

During Ainsworth's tenure from February 21, 2023, to October 28, 2023, he faced substantial challenges, managing the team for 249 days and overseeing 28 matches. Unfortunately, the results did not favor him, securing only 5 wins, drawing 4, and suffering 19 losses. The team struggled, averaging 0.71 goals per match, with a points-per-game ratio of 1.86 and a low games-per-point ratio of 0.68, signifying a tough period. Contrastingly, Martí Cifuentes, taking over on October 31, 2023, has displayed promise in his initial 126 days in charge. Overseeing 22 matches, he secured 8 wins, 6 draws, and 8 losses, bringing about a positive shift in team performance. The team's average goals per match increased to 1.18, and the points-per-game ratio improved to 1.05. The games-per-point ratio stands at 1.36, indicating a more positive impact compared to Ainsworth's tenure. These statistics underscore the early signs of improvement Cifuentes has brought to QPR's on-field performance

In the realm of football management, adaptability is crucial for success, a quality vividly demonstrated by Martí Cifuentes. Drawing from his experience at Hammarby, Cifuentes navigated challenges, emphasizing the importance of flexibility. Often, recruitment constraints limit a manager's vision, but Cifuentes' tenure at Hammarby underscores the necessity of adaptation. Transparency and communication are cornerstones of his coaching philosophy, as highlighted in a candid Sky Sports interview. Cifuentes acknowledged extreme circumstances at Hammarby, where they sold 8 of their 11 starters, signing players not aligning with his preferred style. He asserted that as a coach, one must adapt or face dire consequences, a principle he believes will remain unchanged. Beyond tactical considerations, Cifuentes recognizes footballers' intelligence, underscoring the pivotal role of truthful communication in building trust within the team. These principles illuminate Cifuentes' managerial approach, emphasizing how adaptability and open communication are integral to his strategies at QPR.

Additionally, Martí Cifuentes, reflecting on curiosity sparking adaptation as a manager, stated, "I moved out of my comfort zone and it helped me to grow. I survived seven years in Scandinavia. I am ready for anything. I just wanted to understand other ways of thinking and of playing football. I don't pretend to be right all the time. Sometimes I like what I see so I can take this idea here or there & sometimes I just don't like it. It was impossible to succeed doing the same thing everywhere. You need to understand context & culture. The culture of the club, the city, the history of the club, all this comes into it." [Sky Sports

Marti has shown so far so be it early but hugely promising tenure that he is an innovative and creative manager and wants to play attacking and vibrant football. Survival looks the ultimate priority for QPR this season, but looking beyond that, I wouldn't be surprised with the right recruitment and structure to support Marti, QPR challenging up the table next year and on the way back to the Premier League with Marti Cifuentes.

Interesting that Warbs record was actually slightly better than Beale's even tho Warbs arguably took over at a more difficult time. Agree it was wrong to get rid of him.

Haha I thought by your earlier comment you didn't want me to copy and paste it 😅

Ain’t that a fact. I actually think LinkedIn is worse than bragbook.
So many Tim nice bit dims on it, pretending to post useful advice when the reality is they’re simply feathering their own nest and giving it the big I am.
At least on bragbook it’s generally more overt.

Exactly my thinking too.

The only good decision that the board have ever made, was bringing in Marti.
Come the end of the season, no matter what happens, we need to ensure that we tie him down into a good contract for the next several years.

Not very often vast majority of fans are united on the appropriateness of a manager.

If the data approach has come up trumps with the manager I’m pretty excited to see what players it turns up going forwards too.

Work out all the compo we’ve paid out and make that the absolute minimum we’d let him leave for.

In fairness I think its the whole management has improved. The new CEO deserves a lot of credit IMHO. Seems he was involved in recruiting Marti and the difference in approach for recruitment is night and day. If we survive, and if there is a bit of breathing space for recruitment in the summer, excited to see what he can do in the market.

But Marti clearly a fantastic manager. 

Be interested to see what expectations will be next season if we survive, we have a good window and he is still with us. Personally think a promotion push would be too soon as we are winning games very narrowly at the moment, but with Marti, who knows?

Was going to post the same.

No coincidence