Queens Park Rangers have requested a meeting with Hammarby head coach Marti Cifuentes about the managerial vacancy at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
The Lowdown: Cifuentes’ coaching background
The 40-year-old guided his current club to third place in the Swedish top flight this year, earning European qualification in the process, earning an impressive two points per game from his 37 matches in charge.
Having previously held senior managerial roles at Aalborg and Sandefjord, the most famous club on Cifuentes’ CV is Ajax, where he was a youth coach in 2007. He also has experience of working in English football, having left Amsterdam for a similar role at QPR’s cross-London rivals Millwall. [Transfermarkt]
The Latest: QPR make contact over Cifuentes
Swedish media outlet Aftonbladet reported on Friday morning that QPR ‘have now made initial contact with Hammarby’ to request permission to speak with Cifuentes regarding the vacancy at Loftus Road.
The report added that the R’s are seeking ‘a first meeting with the Spaniard right away’ as they cast a wide net for a managerial successor to Michael Beale, who abruptly left for Scottish outfit Rangers in recent days.
Who should be QPR's new manager?
Robins
Critchley
Cifuentes
Other
The Verdict: Intriguing left-field candidate
Considering that QPR reportedly have the likes of Neil Critchley and Mark Robins on their shortlist, both of whom are well versed in managing in the Championship, it may appear to be quite a gamble to plump for an overseas coach in Cifuentes.
However, that doesn’t mean that the Spaniard should be discounted for the role in west London. Reports from Aftonbladet noted that he has quickly won the popularity of the players with whom he is working, which ought to elicit a strong bond with the QPR squad if he is chosen as Beale’s replacement.
Also, despite being a young manager at 40, he has worked in coaching at various levels for more than 15 years and has already accrued just over 200 games in his first-team managerial career.
While he may not be as well-known in England as other candidates for the job, the name of Cifuentes is certainly an intriguing one on QPR’s radar.
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