Cifuentes will not be West Brom boss

Marti Cifuentes will not get the West Bromwich Albion manager’s job.

Cifuentes has been axed by QPR after his representatives spoke to Albion about the possibility of him taking over at the West Midlands club, who recently sacked Tony Mowbray.

Cifuentes is arguably a worthy contender for other jobs after twice keeping Rangers in the Championship in difficult circumstances.

There are also currently vacancies at Norwich City and relegation Southampton.

But he appears to be out of the running for the position at West Brom as he is not on their shortlist.

The Spaniard has been shown the door by Rangers, who say he has been “placed on gardening leave”.

Assistant coaches Xavi Calm and Kevin Betsy have been placed in caretaker charge ahead of this weekend’s final match of the season, against Sunderland.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, QPR said: “Marti Cifuentes has been placed on gardening leave.

“Assistant coaches Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm will take charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis and prepare the squad for our final fixture of the 2024/25 campaign against Sunderland.”

Chief executive Christian Nourry said: “This is naturally a disappointing situation for everyone concerned.

“I fully understand and appreciate supporters’ frustrations at this time.

“As a club, we are working to ensure this matter is resolved as swiftly as possible so we can start preparations in earnest for the future.”

Cifuentes, 42, was appointed in October 2023, replacing the sacked Gareth Ainsworth.

Having arrived from Swedish club Hammarby, he inherited a side which had lost six matches in a row and were bottom of the Championship, six points from safety.

Rangers stayed up, beating champions Leicester and thrashing Leeds in the process.

This season has been a troubled one, partly because of a host of injuries, but the club have again remained in the division, further boosting Cifuentes’ popularity among fans – but also, it’s felt, his potential for attracting other clubs.

Explainer: Why ‘gardening leave’?

As discussed on the latest West London Sport podcast, the issue of compensation is all-important – and ultimately what recent manoeuvres by the Cifuentes camp have been about.

He has effectively been sacked by QPR. This is after months of hinting at behind-the-scenes problems and, more recently, those discussions with another Championship club.

His time at Loftus Road is almost certainly over and Rangers will now look to appoint a new head coach.

Placing him on gardening leave appears to be an attempt by the club to protect their position when it comes to compensation.

Sacking a manager not only usually involves having to pay him off, in this situation it means he would simply be free to take another job.

QPR therefore have moved to axe Cifuentes without giving up their claim for compensation should he move elsewhere.

Their position has still arguably been weakened in this respect, because other clubs know they do not want Cifuentes back and want to install a replacement. Rangers therefore need this situation to be resolved.

But it appears they have calculated that this course of action represents their best chance of removing Cifuentes in light of him eyeing a move elsewhere, while not foregoing the compensation.

It is not the first time QPR have placed a manager on gardening leave.

Ian Holloway was infamously removed via the same method in 2006, when the club was owned by Antonio Caliendo and former chairman Gianni Paladini.

Rangers claimed it was because Holloway wanted to leave for Leicester. It wasn’t.

It was because of poor results and months of bitter infighting, partly related to a boardroom battle that had raged at the club, and because it was seen as a way of getting rid of him without having to pay him off.

This time, however, a manager really has been placed on gardening leave because of his apparent interest in another job.

QPR will hope a swift resolution – and that compensation – now follows.

The other possibility is gridlock, with Cifuentes unable to take another job and Rangers unable to appoint a replacement – at least one with the same title, of head coach – until the situation is resolved.