"Clubs will be looking " - Pundit reveals Marti Cifuentes concern for QPR | OneFootball

Highlights

Carlton Palmer has given his take on Queens Park Rangers' shock 4-0 win over Leeds United, which secured their safety in the league, and the interest that Marti Cifuentes is likely to receive because of the job that he has done.

This Championship season has been full of unexpected manager stories. Kieran McKenna, who won the league's Manager of the Season award, looks set to win back-to-back promotions with Ipswich in his first job as a manager.

Similarly, but at the other end of the table, Sheffield Wednesday hired a first time boss in Danny Röhl, who has taken the Owls from their deathbed to close to avoiding the drop. They only need a point against Sunderland on the final day to cheat death.

Cifuentes has produced similar results at Loftus Road. The Spanish boss came from Hammarby IF - a Swedish first division team - to take over from Gareth Ainsworth after he was relieved of his duties.

The Hoops were second bottom, having secured just eight points from 14 games, when he arrived. Since then, QPR have been the 10th best team in the league.

The 41-year-old has established himself as one of the best up-and-coming managers in the division, and Palmer has weighed in on the attention that he has grabbed.

Cartlon Palmer on Marti Cifuentes and QPR

The pundit told Football League World that he could see the R's finishing close to the play-offs next season, if their manager gets backed well, and that this will also be a key part of keeping hold of him.

He said: "QPR secured their survival in the Championship with a shock 4-0 win over Leeds. I watched the game and it was a well deserved win by QPR. They played very well, but it was also a quick turnaround for Leeds from their 4-3 win at Middlesbrough.

"You've always got to put results in context. As well as QPR played, and it was a fantastic result for them, Leeds were definitely fatigued. They didn't have their usual spring when pressing.

"Of course when managers do what Cifuentes has done, then other teams are going to come and look at them. He came in when they looked close to dead and buried, similar to Sheffield Wednesday, and he's done a fantastic job to keep them up with two games to spare.

"Other clubs will be looking at him, but I'm sure that Marti will sit down with the board and he'll be given assurances for next season, in terms of being able to bring players in and push them on next season.

"If you look at their results and performances from the second half of the season, even with the players that they've currently got, they would be in the top half of the table.

"In their last six games, they've won three of them, lost two and drawn one. So you're only talking about six more wins in the season to what they've had so far this season. If you can get to 20 wins, you're looking at being in and around the play-offs. "So there's not a lot to say that Cifuentes won't be able to push the club up the league if he gets backed by the board.

"Obviously that will be key because clubs will come knocking, and when managers are in demand, they need the assurances that, if they stay, that they will have the means to kick on."

The lack of recognised attention from other clubs in Cifuentes is odd

The easiest comparison to make between the Spaniard and another boss in the division is Röhl. Although the German had no managerial experience prior to his current job, both were completely new to English football and the second tier, and they have both done outstanding jobs.

Röhl has been linked with becoming the next Sunderland head coach as they continue their search for the replacement for former QPR boss Michael Beale.

But Cifuentes hasn't appeared to receive quite the same attention.

Fans of the Hoops will be happy about this because they won't want to see him leave the club because of the job that he has done. But it is strange that he hasn't received the links and speculation that his German counterpart has.