QPR has confirmed the appointment of Marti Cifuentes as their new head coach, following the dismissal of Gareth Ainsworth. This decision comes after QPR’s sixth consecutive league defeat, a 2-1 loss to Leicester City, which left them in the 23rd position in the Sky Bet Championship.
Marti Cifuentes, a 41-year-old Spaniard, is set to assume the role, pending the acquisition of a work permit. He will be leaving his position at the Swedish top-flight club Hammarby, where he has been for the past two seasons.
Lee Hoos, the QPR chief executive, expressed his satisfaction with the appointment and thanked Hammarby for their cooperation throughout the process. The club views Cifuentes as an exciting addition and looks forward to his potential impact. The decision to bring in Cifuentes is part of their succession plan, regardless of the team’s recent performance.
Cifuentes, despite his relatively young age as a manager, possesses nearly a decade of coaching experience. His managerial journey began in 2014 with Spanish side UE Sant Andreu, and he subsequently managed CE L’Hospitalet. He then ventured abroad, taking over as the boss of Sandefjord in Norway for over two years. Afterward, he managed Danish side Aalborg for a year before joining Hammarby.
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We're delighted to announce the appointment of our new head coach, MartΓ Cifuentes! πͺπΈ@MCC14 π€
— QPR FC (@QPR) October 30, 2023
During his first season with Hammarby, Cifuentes led the team to a Svenska Cupen final and a third-place finish, which secured the club a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifying stages. Although this season hasn’t seen a similar level of success, Cifuentes’s coaching credentials have captured QPR’s attention.
Cifuentes is expected to travel to London on Tuesday and will take charge of his first game against Rotherham United, a fellow relegation rival, on Saturday.