'It's important we align' - Cifuentes on QPR future
QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes said it was important he and the club were aligned when asked about his future.Cifuentes has been linked with a move away from Loftus Road after an inconsistent season, with QPR's best possible finish no higher than 12th with two fixtures left.The Spaniard moved to QPR from Swedish club Hammarby to replace Gareth Ainsworth in October 2023 with the team second from bottom in the Championship table.He steered the club to an 18th-placed finish with three wins at the end of last season.QPR sit 15th going into their remaining games against Burnley, who have been promoted, on Saturday and Sunderland, who are assured of a spot in the play-offs, on the final day of the season."For me, it's very natural to sit with the owners, the CEO in that case, to do a balance – as I will do with my players, as I will do with my staff," Cifuentes told BBC Radio London."So in this moment I think this is when you have to review the things that have gone well, the things that might be improved, and then align for what's next."
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The Sun
10 minutes ago
- The Sun
Thomas Frank is perfect manager to deal with Tottenham's Daniel Levy – after being slammed by his OWN chairman on forum
THOMAS FRANK'S first big job ended when the club chairman was exposed for criticising him on an online fans' forum. Although some Tottenham supporters have a pretty low opinion of supremo Daniel Levy, it's unlikely he would ever be caught doing the same. 5 Levy keeps a low profile and says very little about whether he is backing his manager — until the moment he doesn't any more. Which is not quite how Jans Bech Andersen handled things after becoming chairman of Danish club Brondby. Frank had left his role with the Danish FA coaching the youth teams and working with senior boss Morten Olsen, to take over at the cash-strapped fallen giants in 2013. But he resigned in March 2016 after just under three years in charge because of what became known as 'Oscar-gate'. 'Oscar' was the name attached to a profile on a leading Brondby fan messageboard which had repeatedly hammered Frank and sporting director Per Rud. And it turned out that 'Oscar' was Bech Andersen, a rich fan who had increased his investment and influence at the club a few months after Frank's arrival. Among 'Oscar's' posts were rants criticising Frank for being a coach 'who is inexperienced and stubbornly sticks to a system that doesn't work' and his 'inability to integrate new players that he himself has 100 per cent chosen'. 'Oscar' said Frank and Rud had made 'crazy decisions together due to ignorance and lack of experience', creating 'a headache that needs to be cured as soon as possible'. Frank understandably talked of a 'breach of trust' in his resignation statement. Nine months later, in December 2016, he joined Brentford as assistant boss to Dean Smith before taking the head coach role in October 2018. 5 It would be easy to say the rest is history but Frank did have a sticky start to his reign. Without the strong backing of Bees owner Matthew Benham and co-director of football Rasmus Ankersen — a fellow Dane — he might not have survived. Gambling guru Benham believed Frank was a good bet and has been proved right. For all Frank's incredible success in leading the club from the Championship to the top half of the Premier League, Levy and Spurs fans are entitled to ask how he would cope with the very different challenge at Tottenham? The 51-year-old has never taken charge of a Champions League match nor won a major trophy, two things which were on former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou's CV even before he led Spurs to Europa League glory in what turned out to be his final game. Eddie Howe was similarly inexperienced when he joined Newcastle in November 2021. Yes, Howe had taken Bournemouth through the divisions all the way to ninth place in the top flight but he had also been relegated in 2020 and never managed in Europe. Yet Howe proved his doubters wrong — in 2023 he led the Magpies back into the Champions League, before lifting their first major domestic trophy for 70 years with March's Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool. Much has been made of Brentford's use of data from Benham's gambling business to give them the edge in recruitment. But it is one thing to identify hidden gems with the potential to become stars — the art is making them realise that potential. 5 5 And Frank has a brilliant record, particularly with forward players. Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the most high-profile examples of the ability of Frank and his coaches. Levy will have also seen how players like Christian Norgaard — soon to become a free agent — have quietly become established Prem stars. Frank has also proved tactically adaptable in a way Big Ange stubbornly refused to be until that backs-to-the-wall performance in the second half of the Europa League final against Manchester United. Brentford were a free-scoring, attractive side in the Championship. But after winning the play-off final in 2021, Frank knew he had to compromise a bit. He made his side defensively sound and difficult to beat, using marginal gains like set-piece excellence to help preserve their top-flight status. But last season the Bees were among the Prem's great entertainers. They were also one of the very few clubs in Europe to have three players with more than ten league goals - Mbeumo, Wissa and Kevin Schade. If Frank gets the Spurs job, his personality will be quite a change from Postecoglou's gruff Aussie charms. The genial Dane is the most relatable and likeable Prem boss. His image of a man who likes to visit his local pub on the Thames is not just for show. Brentford know what an asset they have, which is why Frank has a £10million release clause. Every managerial appointment is a gamble but for Levy that could be money well spent. Bech Andersen remains at Brondby and is still posting on social media — albeit under his own name now. At least Frank won't have to cope with Levy doing that if he joins Spurs.
Daily Record
34 minutes ago
- Daily Record
6 surging Rangers transfer headlines that go beyond Coady and Turgeman as £20m vision faces strict timeline
Russell Martin and sporting director Kevin Thelwell are scouring the globe for new recruits New Rangers boss Russell Martin is looking to add some new talent to the Ibrox dressing room before pre-season kicks off. That gives sporting director Kevin Thelwell until June 23 to snap up some new talent - with Conor Coady and Dor Turgerman on the agenda. Negotiations have started with Leicester City over a potential deal to bring in experience Coady - while rising talent Turgerman has opened the door to a move by admitting he is ready to leave Maccabi Tel Aviv. But with the American revolution in full flow at Ibrox, CEO Patrick Stewart has promised Martin he'll be handed a significant chunk of the £20million set to be injected in the Premiership giants by their new owners.. So, who else could be coming in? And who could be shown the door? Record Sport takes a look. Metinho Troyes' midfielder Metinho has caught Rangers' eye after a successful loan at FC Basel last term. But the Light Blues' face a battle to land the £5million-rated star as they prepare for his signature with the Swiss champions - who are looking to make the deal permanent despite not holding an option to buy. BaZ report it is "unclear" if Basel will be able to secure a return and meeting the valuation - leaving the door open for a move to Ibrox. Largie Ramazani Reports in Spain suggest Leeds United's Largie Ramazani is a target for the Light Blues' this summer - just a year on from his £10million move to Elland Road from Almeria. And former Leeds' goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged the club to cut their losses with the winger, telling MOT Leeds News:" He's struggled to get in the side this season and I think at times, to his detriment, he's been an impact player off the bench. And I think that's maybe how the manager sees him. "And if they can get better than what they've got, which is what they have to do to stay in the Premier League, he could be one that's allowed to leave. 'He had a little spell of games, didn't he, in the Championship, but didn't play regularly, week in and week out. And he may be one where Leeds need to cut their cloth accordingly. He may be one that's allowed to move on.' Cyriel Dessers The striker has already revealed he has interest from Greece this summer - but while on international duty he has set himself the goal of scoring more for Rangers. When asked about his lack of recent caps for Nigeria, he said: 'I'm not the one making the choices. So, the only thing I can do is to perform well and score goals at my club … to ensure that I'm ready to be called up. 'Once I'm called upon, I should be able to show what I can do for the team. That I would have to do with goals, hard work and dedication,' Nedim Bajrami Nedim Bajrami will hope to impress his new boss when he returns for pre-season - with Record Sport understanding the Albanian is keen to stay in Glasgow and fight for his place in the team. After a disappointing first season in Scotland, reports in Albania suggest that clubs in Germany and Italy are on alert for a potential deal. Harry Darling He has already been signed twice by Russell Martin at MK Dons and then for Swansea City - but Record Sport understands Rangers are currently not in the race for his signature as his contract ticks down. Director of football Richard Montague says Swansea remains hopeful Harry Darling will sign a new deal with the club - despite reports that Norwich City are leading the race for the soon-to-be free agent. He told Wales Online: 'The ball is very much in Harry's court. "We made him what we thought was a very strong offer and I believe he would think is a very strong offer. Jamie Vardy It would be a landmark signing for the new owners - and Rangers are said to be among the club chasing Jamie Vardy after his Leicester City exit. The signing race for the 38-year-old appears to have lost a club - with Wrexham transfer consultant Les Reed telling the i: "Let's take an equivalent of Jamie Vardy. "Everyone thinks he's out of contract, there's no transfer fee, Wrexham could do that. You're talking about players who are on £140,000 a week. "We are a million miles away from that. There is a certain level of Premier League player who, if they are on £100k to 150k-a-week, are still going to get closer to that if they move to the MLS or Saudi Arabia than if they go to Wrexham." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
York pip Featherstone in extra time to win 1895 Cup
1895 Cup final, Wembley StadiumFeatherstone (2) 4Goals: Reynolds 2York (4) 5Goals: Harris 2 Drop-goal: HarrisMatch ended 4-4 after 80 minutes York Knights lifted the 1895 Cup for the first time as they edged Championship rivals Featherstone Rovers in golden-point extra time at Harris slotted a 35-metre drop-goal in the fifth minute of added time to spark celebrations after a tryless 80 minutes had ended level at aiming to become the first side to win the 1895 Cup for a second time by following-up their win in 2021 against York, started well and hit the front with a 12th-minute penalty from scrum-half Ben as errors crept into Rovers' game, York took control of a physical first half, levelling through the boot of Harris before the scrum-half kicked a long-range second penalty as the hooter blew for half-time. Harris was stopped just short as York restarted well, but Featherstone responded, with Clay Webb denied by Toa Mata'afa's try-saving tackle before Reynolds' second penalty levelled the scores on the back-row Oli Field was brought down a few metres short of the line and Featherstone wasted a late drop-goal opportunity as nerves and fatigue sides missed drop-goal attempts in extra time through Harris and Ryan Hampshire, before the former found the target to clinch a tense Aekins, Olpherts, Hardcastle, Gale, Wynne, Reynolds, Hampshire, Springer, Jubb, Beckett, Day, Webb, Jones, Williams, Vuniyayawa, Mata'afa, Brown, Buchanan, Field, Galeano, Hingano, Harris, Martin, McShane, Ta'ai, Dee, Bailey, Cook, Santi, Gannon, Liam Rush.
