‘You force your own luck’ – Cifuentes keen for QPR to remain grounded despite good recent form
Marti Cifuentes is adamant that his QPR side will not get carried away despite their impressive recent form.
A 2-1 win against Luton on Monday earned a fifth consecutive home win for Rangers, and they have now lost just one of their last eleven matches.
The west London club sit 13th in the Championship table, closer on points to the play-off places than the relegation zone, despite being bottom of the standings as recently as November.
“I’ve been saying always that football is a game of small margins,” said Cifuentes after his side beat Luton thanks to a fortunate winning goal that came via a deflection off defender Morgan Fox.
“We know that in the 90th minute, we could have conceded again from [Mark] McGuinness on a set piece. It could go in, and we would be talking in a very different way but it’s true I think the team is working hard on the training ground.
“I’m a big believer that you force your own luck in life. I think Picasso said, ‘the more I work, the more lucky I get,’ and I think that has been the case with this group.
One player who has starred in QPR’s recent good run of form is 18-year-old midfielder Kieran Morgan.
Despite initially being signed to feature for the Development Squad after leaving Tottenham last summer, Morgan has now started the last five games in succession.
He was also named player of the match by Sky Sports for his performance in the Luton win.
“So far I’m very impressed with how mature he is,” said Cifuentes.
“I know because I’ve been managing a lot of young players in my career that there are ups and downs.
“To expect it will be only upwards for him is not the reality. Some difficult moments will come because the opposition will know him better and they’re (the players) human beings.
“But we need to help him. We need to help him now he’s performing really well, and to prepare him in the moment perhaps things will not go his way.
“The important thing… he is a very smart guy. On the pitch and off the pitch, he listens. When you have the quality he has, and you are also humble, I think that is a big advantage.”