Cifuentes OUT

[Lineker's Left Foot]

1 minute ago, funkyrobot said:

The alarming issue with me that makes things different with Cifuentes than it was with RVN and Cooper is that he’s generally playing all of the obvious best creative players. Cooper dropped Fatawu, Mavididi, Ricardo, ELK even Vardy at times. RVN dropped Winks, Buonanotte, Mavididi. They were players that we could say would come in and improve the side if only we had a manager that understood their talents. 
 

Step forward Cifuentes who has generally selected the better FORWARD thinking players at his disposal. Two of his signings have been two of our best players in those key attacking roles too! Look at his bench today. Without an ill Monga the only players with a semblance of creativity were Silko, Bobby Reid and Ayew and none of them are particularly going to frighten the opposition. Maybe playing Reid would’ve prevented Soumare’s disasterclass but based on Reid’s anonymous performance v Portsmouth (and in his LCFC career in general) he wasn’t likely to create that much. Either way, not playing Reid isn’t like when Cooper wasn’t playing Fatawu or RVN was ignoring Buonanotte. 

 

Cifuentes rightly gets criticised for his omission of Nelson and Aluko but they are more defensive options and not so much attacking game changers - after that, criticising him for not playing 17 year Page or 16 year old Evans is a bit of a stretch. 
 

So he generally selects our best creative talent but can’t get them to perform and this reflects very badly on the squad quality but also on his ability to motivate, cajole, encourage or inspire this team.

He’s basically like an informed fan. He can select the best creative team and he can call out the failures in our games eloquently after the game but like most of us fans, when it comes to the crunch, he’s not shown he’s able to manage a group of professional footballers to change their mindset and play even to the levels of this league never mind the Premier League level that many of our players think they should be at.
 

It looks like we have a poor manager (at least for the type of mentality we have in the squad) managing a very poor side at the moment. I don’t think he’ll get the time to be able to bomb out the bad eggs and bring in the type of player that he might be able to manage better and prove everyone wrong, which is a shame because he’s a more likeable manager than the last two! 

 Not his fault his hands are tied working for these reprobates!  However he should opt for more hungry, younger players - which he mentioned was going to be the case!

 

Sure Fatawu had tears in his eyes at the end!

[Dan]

Cifuentes had two options when he came here. Pick the side of the rotting decline or pick the side of trying something new. He's nailed his colours to the rotting decline and for that reason he can go.

 

Was indifferent when he was appointed and hasn't done a single thing to get me to buy into him. The red flags were there extremely early on and as ever, one thing follows another, and we arrive here.

 

You had two options. You picked failure. Coward. Out.

[murphy]

2 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

 

... There's not a lot more he can do with the personnel he has got.

I think there is.  First of all, we are too passive and tactically absolutely toothless. 

 

Also, we are not a team we are a collection of individuals. The defence is not a unit, it is so disorganised.  The midfield is not a unit.  They don't play together. 

 

I know we have been terribly let down time and again by the board and recruitment that has been off the scale (and not in a good way) but tactics, organisation and motivation are Marti's responsibility. 

[CH1_Fox]

There are far bigger problems than the manager. However, that performance was a sackable offense today. 

[Chrysalis]

Top and Rudkin out!!

[jayfox26]

Whilst Marti has and continues to make mistakes with team selection/tactics etc, we really do only have a handful of players that can be relied on to either play ok or actually try. Jakub, Ricardo, James, Fatawu. 

 

The rest are either crap are just simply can't be arsed. I don't include the youth players like Monga in this but I do fear for some of their long term developments playing in such a toxic environment with so many bad eggs and no leadership in the dressing room. 

 

This for me, is easily the worst bunch of players we've ever had when you consider wages, the fact we are in the championship, and basic effort/lack of. 

[Sly]

He’s clearly been told he needs to get promotion.

 

That comes from the top.

 

No other reason not to plan for the future and start to blood some of the younger players as this point.

 

The issue I have and will continue to state is we need to change the system. 
 

 

[Claudio Fannieri]

7 hours ago, Foxin_Mad said:

I mean come on, it’s the consistent attitude of these players. They lose the ball and jog off or throw their arms up in the air. If the players were getting stuck in and showing some real effort, pressing etc the fans would respond. We are on the 2nd year of insipid gutless shit from these players, the managers sets them up, the manager picks the players, the manager decides on what subs and when. I don’t necessarily need to see good talented players but I want to see players give their all for 90 minutes. If that lot gave their all today, then they are ****ing stealing a living, I’ve seen better pub teams, **** me big ten pint John is a better striker than Caranza

I completely understand people have had enough of certain members of the current squad, however booing Jakub every time he is trying to take a goal kick or booing Luke Thomas onto the pitch and then booing his first wayward cross was a step too far. 
 

Whether people agree or not with whether either of the above should be in the team, both have come through our academy and both care about the club and I felt getting at both of those players was a bit much Okoli got it as well for a couple of misplaced passes and yet most were clamouring for him to be starting. 

 

I understand people are far from happy, it’s nowhere near good enough, but I do feel yesterday that in certain cases, the wrong people are bearing the brunt of the frustrations and I would also include the manager in this, who has inherited an unbalanced squad, numerous players who have clearly checked out and a fairly toxic environment and culture at the club. 
 

As a fanbase at some stage we need to back a manager to come in try and turn this oil tanker around but it ain’t going to be overnight, that quick fix we had under Enzo 2 seasons ago has long passed, it was never going to be the same this season. 
 

yes we had a lot of players move on and it did need a high number to leave for a number of reasons, but in reality losing players such as Vardy, Ndidi, Justin & even McAteer whilst helping the balance sheet, meant we lost a core of players who still cared about the club whilst still being left with the likes of Faes, Winks, Soumare, VK, Daka etc has left the manager with both hands tied behind his back. 

Edited 2 November 2025 by Claudio Fannieri

[Claudio Fannieri]

6 hours ago, murphy said:

I think there is.  First of all, we are too passive and tactically absolutely toothless. 

 

Also, we are not a team we are a collection of individuals. The defence is not a unit, it is so disorganised.  The midfield is not a unit.  They don't play together. 

 

I know we have been terribly let down time and again by the board and recruitment that has been off the scale (and not in a good way) but tactics, organisation and motivation are Marti's responsibility. 

I really don’t think the problems were tactical yesterday it was all about application and desire they were what was lacking. I honestly think half this lot have checked out.
 

I also think the target this season is promotion at all costs and that has led to a heavier reliance on the experienced players who should still have way more quality to be in the automatic positions, but there is clearly a very toxic environment and culture at the club at he moment. 
 

if we sack Cifuentes then that is the 3rd manager in a year who has been thrown under the bus by a certain group of players and i can assure the same will happen again and again until those players leave. 

[teblin]

Just now, Claudio Fannieri said:

I really don’t think the problems were tactical yesterday it was all about application and desire they were what was lacking. I honestly think half this lot have checked out.
 

I also think the target this season is promotion at all costs and that has led to a heavier reliance on the experienced players who should still have way more quality to be in the automatic positions, but there is clearly a very toxic environment and culture at the club at he moment. 
 

if we sack Cifuentes then that is the 3rd manager in a year who has been thrown under the bus by a certain group of players and i can assure the same will happen again and again until those players leave. 

I agree that the issues run deeper than the manager. But that doesn’t completely excuse the manager.

 

The 3 managers “thrown under the bus” haven’t been good enough. (It seems that way with cifuentes)

 

In hindsight we probably needed a different type of manager, maybe a Sargent major type. As seemingly the only player he’s kicked out of the squad on match days in Nelson.

 

Like I say, I agree on the player point, but also doesn’t mean marti is good. 

[Claudio Fannieri]

1 minute ago, teblin said:

I agree that the issues run deeper than the manager. But that doesn’t completely excuse the manager.

 

The 3 managers “thrown under the bus” haven’t been good enough. (It seems that way with cifuentes)

 

In hindsight we probably needed a different type of manager, maybe a Sargent major type. As seemingly the only player he’s kicked out of the squad on match days in Nelson.

 

Like I say, I agree on the player point, but also doesn’t mean marti is good. 

Ruud came in and raised massive red flags about the culture around the club and how players behaved etc etc and looked what happened, certain players either downed tools or went above the managers head. Honestly even a Sargent Major type would struggle with this group and the current culture. I can only see it changing when certain players move on. 
 

The manager doesn’t get a free pass by any means but I do feel that by the fans going after him gets certain others off the hook. Marti is just becoming another in a long line of fall guys for others poor mistakes and a toxic environment within certain elements of the playing squad

[teblin]

52 minutes ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

Ruud came in and raised massive red flags about the culture around the club and how players behaved etc etc and looked what happened, certain players either downed tools or went above the managers head. Honestly even a Sargent Major type would struggle with this group and the current culture. I can only see it changing when certain players move on. 
 

The manager doesn’t get a free pass by any means but I do feel that by the fans going after him gets certain others off the hook. Marti is just becoming another in a long line of fall guys for others poor mistakes and a toxic environment within certain elements of the playing squad

All very true.

 

But, I think both things can be true at the same time. 
 

There is issue from ownership, directors, management, coaching, players. 
 

The manager is a scapegoat but also seems like he’s not good/strong enough to sort this bunch out.(prime Jose might struggle with a couple of them)

Edited 2 November 2025 by teblin

[trooky]

I've watched the highlights again and Marti was let down massively by the players yesterday, 

 

The defensive mix-up between Soumare and Vesty to concede. 

 

Mavididi had 2 previous chances from Ricky's crossing, but they were both poor crosses being slightly behind him. 

 

There is no excuse for that glaring miss, just has to lift it slightly over the keepers leg. 

 

VKs defending for the 2nd, gave up on tracking the winger, I've seen it on FT that he signalled to come off because he was injured, but I'm not convinced he just gave up. 

 

No reaction from the team after conceding the 2nd.

 

A question for all those fans criticising team selections, and wanting youth, who can Marti select to replace Soumare, Daka, Ayew, Skipp, BDR from the academy?  

 

Last time Page played he got slated on here in a 2-0 win including an assist?

 

The manager has an impossible task and needs time. 

[Tommy Fresh]

Jobi McAnuff got it spot on after the game, talking about how passive and pedestrian we are and how teams have no real concerns against us as we'll let them drop back in to shape.

[Muzzy_no7]

8 minutes ago, trooky said:

I've watched the highlights again and Marti was let down massively by the players yesterday, 

 

The defensive mix-up between Soumare and Vesty to concede. 

 

Mavididi had 2 previous chances from Ricky's crossing, but they were both poor crosses being slightly behind him. 

 

There is no excuse for that glaring miss, just has to lift it slightly over the keepers leg. 

 

VKs defending for the 2nd, gave up on tracking the winger, I've seen it on FT that he signalled to come off because he was injured, but I'm not convinced he just gave up. 

 

No reaction from the team after conceding the 2nd.

 

A question for all those fans criticising team selections, and wanting youth, who can Marti select to replace Soumare, Daka, Ayew, Skipp, BDR from the academy?  

 

Last time Page played he got slated on here in a 2-0 win including an assist?

 

The manager has an impossible task and needs time. 

All of this doesn’t excuse the lack of chance creation and pressing though. 
 

Get rid, he isn’t the right man.  

[Tommy Fresh]

9 minutes ago, trooky said:

I've watched the highlights again and Marti was let down massively by the players yesterday, 

 

The defensive mix-up between Soumare and Vesty to concede. 

 

Mavididi had 2 previous chances from Ricky's crossing, but they were both poor crosses being slightly behind him. 

 

There is no excuse for that glaring miss, just has to lift it slightly over the keepers leg. 

 

VKs defending for the 2nd, gave up on tracking the winger, I've seen it on FT that he signalled to come off because he was injured, but I'm not convinced he just gave up. 

 

No reaction from the team after conceding the 2nd.

 

A question for all those fans criticising team selections, and wanting youth, who can Marti select to replace Soumare, Daka, Ayew, Skipp, BDR from the academy?  

 

Last time Page played he got slated on here in a 2-0 win including an assist?

 

The manager has an impossible task and needs time. 

No one has said select youth for every area on the pitch though? I don't even think people want a team full of youth players, but there's a number of lads who could be starting and a few others who could be used as options off the bench.

[winteriscoming]

At least early on in the season he was changing the system and trying something different. Yesterday he just changed personnel and kept the same system that hadn’t worked for 60 mins. 
 

[foxgas]

Watching this boring dross is like death by a thousand cuts.  Football used to be my high point but now I am dreading games coming round. If we lose on Tuesday the manager has to go as he obviously can't inspire this bunch of Prima Donna's. I feel sorry for him as he has tried to replace under performing players like Faes, Soumare and Thomas but their replacements seem equally inept. It's a telling point that the loan players James and Ramsey are the only specks of light in a gloomy season.

[fox_favourite]

14 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

All of this doesn’t excuse the lack of chance creation and pressing though. 
 

Get rid, he isn’t the right man.  

You're right to an extent. Creating chances and pressing is down to desire of individuals. Who in the squad that played showed the desire to do either? James in parts....that's it. 

 

The main issue is the toxic pathetic attitude of players, but I do a agree that if you don't like your manager or don't believe in your manager, then effort will drop. 

 

I liked Marti at the beginning, but even I'm struggling to defend him. 

[murphy]

2 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

Whilst Marti has and continues to make mistakes with team selection/tactics etc, we really do only have a handful of players that can be relied on to either play ok or actually try. Jakub, Ricardo, James, Fatawu. 

 

The rest are either crap are just simply can't be arsed. I don't include the youth players like Monga in this but I do fear for some of their long term developments playing in such a toxic environment with so many bad eggs and no leadership in the dressing room. 

 

This for me, is easily the worst bunch of players we've ever had when you consider wages, the fact we are in the championship, and basic effort/lack of. 

And their transfer fees.  There are tens of millions of pounds sauntering around the pitch there.  Sickening.

[Happy Fox]

It was utter ineptitude to hire him in the first place , Aiyawatt and Rudkin are clueless in the extreme and I cannot wait for these clowns to leave the club.

[Sankey93]

Some individual mistakes ain’t Marti’s fault and he cannot stop them but the fact he continues to pick these players is! We have no identity or style of play. We look so dull and there’s nothing there, we’re getting worse game by game under him and that’s a fact! Surely no one can’t defend him anymore ? Marti has got to go it’s so embarrassing.

[oldbluefox]

53 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Jobi McAnuff got it spot on after the game, talking about how passive and pedestrian we are and how teams have no real concerns against us as we'll let them drop back in to shape.

He was absolutely right.  In possession we are so slow in moving the ball the opposition have time to get men back and defenders in place. Out of possession there is little fight and aggression to get the ball back. We cruise along at half speed with little passion or determination. Is it the players or coaching which is the problem.  I suggest both. 

[FLAN]

You think it’s bad for us?

Marti paid to be part of this 🤣

[SB87_LCFC]

We play football like a low-end la liga side. Passive, no desire, players strolling about like it’s a training game. No wonder there were empty seats at the game yesterday. 

We can argue we have dead wood in the squad, but look at the reality, who is going to pay sizeable money for someone like Daka, Soumare or Faes. The painful reality is we have to wait until the end of this season to clear out the high earning low performing ones, but then still we have the likes of Skipp and VK on the books. 
 

Surely there are some free agents out there who can add something?
 

There has been no clear vision at the club since Rodgers left, I’ve said it before on posts on her, the management selections, the transfer business, hand on heart can anyone say anyone other than Abdul has been good business in the last 4 seasons? makes me wonder why Susan Whelan left but the clown is still around. 
 

The board have to act and now!     
 

Marti has been brought in on the cheap, because once again, the idiot who’s been robbing a living as our DOF has cocked up yet again, why are we coming down and looking to a manager with a 34% win ratio at QPR, finishing 18th and 15th in his two seasons in charge, is that where we see ourselves? If that’s the case we should be telling KP to sell up as they have no desire to take us further.