“Critical that everybody is ready to contribute” – Marti Cifuentes vows to stand by QPR rotation policy amid busy Championship schedule

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes has suggested he will continue to rotate his team as he looks to drag the west London club out of relegation trouble.

Cifuentes caught many by surprise by dropping Steve Cook and Ilias Chair to the bench at Preston last time out after both had played important roles in his promising start to life at Loftus Road.

The move paid off, with Chair coming on at half-time to provide two assists in a 2-0 win that moved Rangers within four points of Championship safety.

QPR now face a run of three games in the space of a week, starting with a visit from Hull City on Saturday, and Cifuentes indicated he will continue to make changes to manage his squad effectively. 

“In all of my teams I have always been trying to make sure that all of the squad is involved, understanding that it is not only about me wanting that but them [the players] deserving to get the chance,” he said.

“Especially in the Championship, with such an amount of games, it is critical that everybody is ready to contribute to the team performance.

“The decision with Ilias [at Preston] was to make sure that he was fresh for the second half, I am glad that it worked well.

“He contributed by not being very happy about it but all the credit to him because he made the difference.

“Cook has been one of our best players in the last five games, it was not an easy decision to keep him out of the eleven, but at the end of the day it is about building that mentality where everybody can contribute.”

Cifuentes ability to change games through substitutions has also caught the eye in his first few weeks in England, although the 41-year-old played down the impact of his decision-making.

The former Hammarby boss tasted victory at Preston thanks to Chair’s contribution from the bench but QPR also turned around the previous game against Stoke City due to the impact of his substitutes.

Chris Willock wrapped up a 4-2 win with a late breakaway goal and fellow replacements Ziyad Larkeche, Jake Clarke-Salter and Reggie Cannon all helped QPR come from 2-1 down to register their first home victory since March.

“Usually, we discuss it with the staff, and I have a plan, but sometimes, after one minute, the plan has changed – this is football,” said Cifuentes when asked about how he plans his changes.

“You need to have the ability to adapt because the opponent can change the way you are attacking and defending.

“At the end of the day the credit is for the players. Some days I will take decisions that will work and many people will think I am a genius and I always take good decisions, some days I will try something and it will not work because no-one has the truth in football.

“Sometimes you win, and sometimes you don’t, but what is important is that the players believe we have a plan, and we have options to change the game as well.”

Cifuentes confirmed that Sinclair Armstrong will be available for selection against Hull after missing the last two games with a knock, however Jack Colback is set to be assessed after being forced off at half-time at Preston.