QPR placed Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave following his ties to the West Brom position at the close of last season.
Marti Cifuentes, a Spaniard, led QPR to safety from relegation last season after finishing 15th in the Championship table, despite flirting with relegation throughout the campaign.
QPR defeated Sunderland 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on the final day of the regular season, with assistant coaches Xavi Calm and Kevin Betsy in control after Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave by the R’s.
This occurred as a result of rumours spreading that Cifuentes was in line for the West Brom position, only for reports to clarify Cifuentes was not on the club’s managerial shortlist.
Despite a turbulent spell at QPR, Cifuentes has entrenched himself as one of the greatest coaches in the second tier and is expected to return next season.
Marti Cifuentes expected to return to Championship for the 25/26 season
Cifuentes joined QPR in October 2023, following the dismissal of Gareth Ainsworth, and his touchline abilities have excelled throughout his 83-game stint.
Former Norwich manager Johannes Hoff Thorup was expected to take over at QPR, but he turned down the offer after conversations with the club, casting a cloud over Loftus Road.
Amid QPR’s upheaval, one Championship expert believes Cifuentes will be snapped up by a slew of second-tier clubs vying for promotion in the 25/26 season.
Ryan Dilks of the Second Tier podcast stated, “12 months ago, Marti Cifuentes was getting hailed to high heaven for the work he was doing at QPR. He performed a tremendous job keeping them up, especially after how bad they looked under Gareth Ainsworth.
“They were rock solid defensively, and they got by despite not having the best offensive capabilities. “This season has essentially revolved around one good run of form followed by two awful runs of form.
“Given what he accomplished at QPR with limited resources, I’d like to see how he would perform at a higher level. “Any team seeking for a manager next season with a chance of making the playoffs should absolutely consider him.
“Marti Cifuentes, I think, would be a very good appointment for the vast majority of teams in the Championship next season.”
Middlesbrough would fit into that bracket of play-off-chasing clubs that are now without a manager after parting ways with Michael Carrick, and Cifuentes’ strong second-tier record demonstrates why he will be a sought-after head coach this summer.
Marti Cifuentes’ QPR record since taking over for Gareth Ainsworth
Since joining the London club in October 2023, Cifuentes has impressed, leading them to safety in his first season and then to a 15th-place finish this season, seven points above the drop zone.
Cifuentes has received praise for his combination of exciting, attacking football and defensive steadiness.
Sunderland were interested in signing Cifuentes during their search for a head coach last summer, before settling on Regis Le Bris for this season.
If the Spaniard departs this summer, he will leave QPR with a record of 29 wins, 23 draws, and 31 loses from 83 games in charge, representing a 35% win rate.
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