Marti Cifuentes appointed new manager

[LCFCJohn]

7 hours ago, SafewayFox said:

Marti’s words and actions haven’t added up in relation to the academy.

 

Before anyone suggests Monga, he’s a completely different beast plus our winger options are more limited than we’d like to admit IMO.

 

Page not making the squad the moment that Reid is fit, is concerning for me.

 

Nelson getting a lot of minutes in pre-season surely would have given him the appetite to kick on rather than be 4th choice, so with his contract running out in the summer of 27 is a worry.

 

Aluko being our most athletic FB not getting a sniff in match day squads has wound me up a lot more than it should too.

I have said it before, but when things moved to being able to name 9 substitutes around Covid time I think, this should have been implemented with a condition that the extra 2 places should be home grown, academy players under 21.

 

By not doing so, it both doesn’t do anything to encourage youth players to be given a chance whilst also actively encourages hoarding senior players. Some of the big clubs actually do more to use this system in the way I am suggesting than we do which is disappointing.

 

There’s no reason Aluko and Page couldn’t be on the bench to be given minutes if the circumstances are right.

[Dahnsouff]

1 hour ago, LCFCJohn said:

I think we have just got it completely backwards with him. I’m not one for ‘start a team of kids’ but his situation is different. 
 

I’m usually balanced about things but this annoys me. I am sure we are going to end up regretting this and miss out on him. 
 

The most recent things I have felt this sure about and a strongly about are;

 

Rodgers needed to go as we were going backwards so fast under him we were at risk of getting relegated. I said this to a Newcastle supporting mate when their takeover happened in October 2021!

 

Aiyawatt is an incompetent nepo baby, also felt this for a long time.

 

I trust my gut on these as history tends to evidence I am right when it comes to these feelings!

As I have stated many times, and nobody seems willing to acknowledge it, CB’s almost to a man, break through much later than more attacking players. If you track Ben’s pathway at Leicester City, he is basically inline with expectations, injury notwithstanding. So unless we think he is nigh on generational, like Monga, then he is not in an unpredictable situation. Should he have gone on loan until January, yes definitely but even that depends on what other movement we expected to occur.

 

If he comes into the side towards Christmas and we offload Faes in the winter window, we are all good.

 

This feels like yet another thing to beat the management with, but in this instance I am not sure it’s quite on point. (But there is plenty of ammo left! The striker situation springs too mind)

Edited 17 October 2025 by Dahnsouff

[LCFCJohn]

4 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

As I have stated many times, and nobody seems willing to acknowledge it, CB’s almost to a man, break through much later than more attacking players. If you track Ben’s pathway at Leicester City, he is basically inline with expectations, injury notwithstanding. So unless we think he is nigh on generational, like Monga, then he is not in an unpredictable situation. Should he have gone on loan until January, yes definitely but even that depends on what other movement we expected to occur.

 

If he comes into the side towards Christmas and we offload Faes in the winter window, we are all good.

 

This feels like yet another thing to beat the management with, but in this instance I am not sure it’s quite on point. (But there is plenty of ammo left!)

Presumably if we are lucky enough to offload Faes, Okoli comes in and at best, Nelson is on the bench? And that is not considering the Souttar situation. We could shift Faes (or an another) and it doesn’t necessarily mean Nelson moves up from 4th choice. It’s not like he is next in line and knocking on the door let’s face it. 
 

If by management you mean Marti? Absolutely not. You can be supportive and overall positive about someone (Marti) and still question a particular decision or ongoing choice. It doesn’t mean it’s a negative view of him. If you mean Aiyawatt and Ruskin, yes they can get in the bin 

 

As I say, I have a similar feeling about this as with Rodgers where it was obvious to me this was going to end badly. Obviously it’s not the same, holding onto Rodgers saw us relegated. Letting Nelson slip through will cost us financially but not on the same level.

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, LCFCJohn said:

Presumably if we are lucky enough to offload Faes, Okoli comes in and at best, Nelson is on the bench? And that is not considering the Souttar situation. We could shift Faes (or an another) and it doesn’t necessarily mean Nelson moves up from 4th choice. It’s not like he is next in line and knocking on the door let’s face it. 
 

If by management you mean Marti? Absolutely not. You can be supportive and overall positive about someone (Marti) and still question a particular decision or ongoing choice. It doesn’t mean it’s a negative view of him. If you mean Aiyawatt and Ruskin, yes they can get in the bin 

 

As I say, I have a similar feeling about this as with Rodgers where it was obvious to me this was going to end badly. Obviously it’s not the same, holding onto Rodgers saw us relegated. Letting Nelson slip through will cost us financially but not on the same level.

If Ben were to take Faes’ spot in the squad, I would hope he gets Faes minutes, but you are likely right that Okoli comes in and Ben only climbs up one spot. 
 

Would love to know what aim Marti was given for the season! As going all out for promotion is fine is we had financial flexibility, and as we don’t AND we want promotion, then surely you would hard push youth into the team.

 

Not going to point the finger at Marti as we cannot know if he was given a ‘promotion or else’ message or not. 

[LCFCJohn]

5 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

If Ben were to take Faes’ spot in the squad, I would hope he gets Faes minutes, but you are likely right that Okoli comes in and Ben only climbs up one spot. 
 

Would love to know what aim Marti was given for the season! As going all out for promotion is fine is we had financial flexibility, and as we don’t AND we want promotion, then surely you would hard push youth into the team.

 

Not going to point the finger at Marti as we cannot know if he was given a ‘promotion or else’ message or not. 

No finger pointing. As I say, not liking a particular decision does not equate to not supporting the manager.

 

If the others were performing at a high level, it would be understandable, if frustrating for those of us who want to see youth developed. But come on, they aren’t performing. Both Faes and Vestergaard are making regular errors that are costing us goals and points. They are being selected as they are paid more. It’s like in a regular work place when someone who has been in the company a long time gets a promotion over someone who has not been there as long even though they perform better.

 

So I don’t see how we are improving our prospects this season and there’s no denying it’s a lack of long term planning.

[Dahnsouff]

3 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

No finger pointing. As I say, not liking a particular decision does not equate to not supporting the manager.

 

If the others were performing at a high level, it would be understandable, if frustrating for those of us who want to see youth developed. But come on, they aren’t performing. Both Faes and Vestergaard are making regular errors that are costing us goals and points. They are being selected as they are paid more. It’s like in a regular work place when someone who has been in the company a long time gets a promotion over someone who has not been there as long even though they perform better.

 

So I don’t see how we are improving our prospects this season and there’s no denying it’s a lack of long term planning.

Was not suggesting you were pointing the finger, was more suggesting I am not.

 

All our players make regular mistakes, it’s where we are as a club right now, and the whole who would give us a better chance of going up underpins all these decisions in my mind, and there is no doubt it is preferable to see exciting homegrown talent on the pitch, rather than the same old cloggers who have a fairly substantial back catalogue of cock ups.

 

Can see both sides to be honest, if the manager is expected to get promoted and feels youth can get us up, then you would expect to see it happen and it’s on him if we don’t see them, but if  he does not feel youth can get us promoted and is still expected to get us promoted, then I get the over abundance of the old guard in the short term.

[Ric Flair]

6 hours ago, jv1 said:

If he was good enough he would be playing - marti sees him every day - he has no reason not to play him if he is better or as good as the guys in the 11 - managers don’t get the luxury nowadays - they don’t have the time - they have to play the best team they have available and he quite simply obviously isnt as good as the others in his position- and if you say would would rather he was playing and the results were worse you are an ostrich

By that statement, managers never get selection problems wrong then. Managers get things wrong all the time, is Cifuentes wrong on this? Maybe, maybe not. There's some fair questioning on this as he's not some novice, he's proven at this level to go with massive potential. It is plausible the manager has currently got this wrong. No issue with fans wanting to have faith in the managers call on this, but I am not having it myself.

 

It'sthee one main query I have on Marti at the min, hopefully he actions his words on the academy stuff.

[LCFCJohn]

10 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

By that statement, managers never get selection problems wrong then. Managers get things wrong all the time, is Cifuentes wrong on this? Maybe, maybe not. There's some fair questioning on this as he's not some novice, he's proven at this level to go with massive potential. It is plausible the manager has currently got this wrong. No issue with fans wanting to have faith in the managers call on this, but I am not having it myself.

 

It'sthee one main query I have on Marti at the min, hopefully he actions his words on the academy stuff.

Yeah, I’m just thinking back to when the far superior Amartey was picked over Soyuncu in 202/23. Clearly a correct call from Rodgers

[Dahnsouff]

11 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

By that statement, managers never get selection problems wrong then. Managers get things wrong all the time, is Cifuentes wrong on this? Maybe, maybe not. There's some fair questioning on this as he's not some novice, he's proven at this level to go with massive potential. It is plausible the manager has currently got this wrong. No issue with fans wanting to have faith in the managers call on this, but I am not having it myself.

 

It'sthee one main query I have on Marti at the min, hopefully he actions his words on the academy stuff.

Think that’s fair. Marti does and will get things wrong, all managers do,  to suggest otherwise is just not realistic. I am very much in the trust the process camp, fair to say and at this point, with where we are, post relegation, and all the other derailing factors that began his tenure, happy enough if not electrified.

The fact we are discussing team selection rather than league jeopardy is a positive, although fully accept that the use of youth transcends any given season.

[Ric Flair]

1 hour ago, LCFCJohn said:

Yeah, I’m just thinking back to when the far superior Amartey was picked over Soyuncu in 202/23. Clearly a correct call from Rodgers

The famous one that sticks out is Pearson with Albrighton. I've also never fully forgiven him for his use of Max Gradel too 😂😂

[escape2victory]

5 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

The famous one that sticks out is Pearson with Albrighton. I've also never fully forgiven him for his use of Max Gradel too 😂😂

I think for Marti he doesn’t see Vestergaard and Nelson as a good balance, it seems he prefers a more cultured CB (Vestergaard or Nelson) with a more aggressive CB (Faes or Okoli). For what it’s worth I think he should have picked Nelson ahead of Vestergaard at the beginning of the season but I can see why he has done it

[Dahnsouff]

What’s the story with Silko? He seems to get name checked a lot by Marti, but never hear much positivity about him in here.

[moore_94]

29 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

What’s the story with Silko? He seems to get name checked a lot by Marti, but never hear much positivity about him in here.

Pretty shite at Wigan

 

Looked okay in pre-season I thought though and there was some Championship interest in the summer

 

But I imagine the biggest reason he is in and around the match day squad is because we basically have no depth on the wings

 

If McAteer was still here for example he would never get on the bench

[Noahfence]

37 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

What’s the story with Silko? He seems to get name checked a lot by Marti, but never hear much positivity about him in here.

All I know is he had a very average loan at Wigan. I’m surprised he’s getting picked. 
 

Not sure if it’s similar to when Raikhy was getting picked under Maresca because he was older 

[Dahnsouff]

10 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Pretty shite at Wigan

 

Looked okay in pre-season I thought though and there was some Championship interest in the summer

 

But I imagine the biggest reason he is in and around the match day squad is because we basically have no depth on the wings

 

If McAteer was still here for example he would never get on the bench

 

4 minutes ago, Noahfence said:

All I know is he had a very average loan at Wigan. I’m surprised he’s getting picked. 
 

Not sure if it’s similar to when Raikhy was getting picked under Maresca because he was older 

Thanks, I ask as the article in Merc says Marti decided to not go into the market and use the youth in house.

 

Realise it’s the Mercury so likely click bait and nothing else.

[Noahfence]

5 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

 

Thanks, I ask as the article in Merc says Marti decided to not go into the market and use the youth in house.

 

Realise it’s the Mercury so likely click bait and nothing else.

Suppose with Mavididi injured he’s someone that can can fill in on the wing

Edited 18 October 2025 by Noahfence

[Noahfence]

Absolutely rubbish manager 

[The Doctor]

what are his tactics? cause it seems like we have no plan besides give it to Fatawu and see what happens

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Small plates merchant, out for me

[SafewayFox]

1 minute ago, Noahfence said:

Absolutely rubbish manager 

Enzo has an elite mentality.

 

Marti hasn’t got an ounce of that has he?

 

We’re his biggest ever club and it shows, shame as comes across as a nice bloke.

[Noahfence]

Just now, SafewayFox said:

Enzo has an elite mentality.

 

Marti hasn’t got an ounce of that has he?

 

We’re his biggest ever club and it shows, shame as comes across as a nice bloke.

He finished bottom half with QPR. He had absolutely no business being our manager. 

[fleshdaddy]

He needs to start getting a tune out of this squad. Disappointing.

[Brooksy]

Proper amateur 

[Noahfence]

Not only is he painfully out of his depth is a complete liar lol. 

[Muzzy_no7]

Nah he’s had time