QPR: Paul Parker highlights Marti Cifuentes concern | OneFootball

Former QPR player Paul Parker has admitted he is concerned that Marti Cifuentes could leave the club.

Former QPR defender Paul Parker has admitted that there is a worry that Marti Cifuentes could leave the R’s as he continues to do an impressive job at Loftus Road.

The Spaniard was appointed as QPR boss in October 2023, inheriting a side that had lost six straight games and were in the relegation zone.

However, under the guidance of Cifuentes, the Londoners climbed the table and secured their safety in an impressive manner.

Marti Cifuentes will be attracting admirers for QPR work

After a summer transfer window that saw a high turnover of players, the current campaign hasn’t been amazing for the R’s just yet, but they remain difficult to beat, having lost just once in six games in the league.

With chief creative force Ilias Chair out injured, and new recruits still adapting to Cifuentes’ methods, there is hope that they will be able to turn these draws into wins moving forward.

Nevertheless, Parker explained that the ex-Hammarby boss will be on the radar of other clubs, as he highlighted the excellent defensive improvement in the side since Cifuentes came in.

Pressed on whether losing Cifuentes was the biggest concern facing QPR this term, he exclusively told Football League World: “Absolutely. You have seen some managers move around lately, some make a positive impact where they go and some not so much. For QPR, they now need stability in a head coach and Marti looks to have the good foundations to build a team to compete well in this division.”

He added: “Defensively QPR have improved on last year. It’s so important to have a good defensive foundation and this can help the team move forward. They aren’t conceding many goals, so if they can look to score more goals, then this can help gain more wins. They have drawn a couple of games and now need to turn draws into wins. It’s an improving team so expect the coach to find a way for the team to score more.”

Marti Cifuentes and QPR look a good fit

As Parker says, Cifuentes has done very well at QPR, so it’s only natural that he would be on the radar of other clubs.

Of course, there’s nothing to worry about right now, and there’s no reason to think Cifuentes would leave, and, if anything, it’s a positive that people think this could even be a possibility, as it means he has done a lot right.

Since taking over, Cifuentes clearly prioritised the defence, with the side now well-organised, hard to beat, and they have a clear structure out of possession that opponents find difficult to get through.

You can tell they are a well-drilled team, and the players also deserve huge credit for buying into the methods of the manager.

As always, there are ways to improve, and they are drawing too many games, but the solid foundations are in place.

And, whether it’s waiting until Chair comes back, or someone else stepping up, they do need that spark in the final third if they are to be serious contenders to push for a play-off place.

The fact that’s even a consideration shows how well Cifuentes has done when you consider what he walked into, and he will have taken the QPR job with a long-term project in mind.

So, this is only the beginning, and all connected to QPR will hope for a long, successful era under the current boss.