Cifuentes OUT

[coolhandfox]

We lurch from one crisis to another.

 

We need to shallow our medicine, cull the squad, sort out the back office.

 

Stop the short term stuff.

[Freddy]

9 minutes ago, Noahfence said:

He isn’t the biggest problem I think we’ve established that. 
 

But to not have a single good performance as we approach December is ridiculous. 

 

We've been rubbish in every game and individual quality is the only reason we have the points we do. 
 

I was honestly very worried about him at HT open game of the season. 
 

 

I'm finding the individual quality really hard to understand right now. Mavi is awful then gets a goal and has a blinder. Fatawu is so exciting then goes completely off the boil and what is Ricky doing at the moment? Winks starts giving the ball away. Thomas is all over the place, relying on grappling rather than defending, he started the season ok ish. Our players have not had one collective good game under Marti.

[teblin]

21 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

We lurch from one crisis to another.

 

We need to shallow our medicine, cull the squad, sort out the back office.

 

Stop the short term stuff.

Both things can be wrong at the same time but you are right it all needs to be sorted.

[Marshall Cockney Fox]

Not watched all games. But from what I can see Swansea away was pretty much the only complete performance. And that wasn't great to start with either. I don't feel sorry for Marti. Strikers aside,  there is ample quality in that squad. Maybe not to chase promotion, but certainly to develop a competent and effective system. But I see none of that. I see flashes of fluidity, but no continuity. And the threat of a constant cock up anytime. Sorry Marti that shite show sits on your shoulders. And for that reason your tenure needs to end. 

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Wanted him to do well but he's not offered anything for me at all. The style of play when there is one is shite, negative. If we do go ahead we sit back and see it out. I haven't enjoyed a single game really except Swansea away and even then we at 1-0 didn't do enough to kill the game. 

 

He makes stupid constant decisions. James should be an 8 not a 10. The fact that even now I don't think he knows his best team is weird. Nelson was in the cold then suddenly playing. 

 

I don't necessarily blame him for the lack of goals from a striker because they're shit, but we're hardly creating a ton of chances. He seems settled on Daka now at least. 

 

We do have a good enough squad to be in the top six, even with the deadwood and mediocre players we have. A more positive manager would have us playing front footed football actually going for it. His championship record is absolutely shite, losing more than he's won. 

[Larry_LCFC]

The players are partly to blame, let's not pretend they aren't. But Marti has shown nothing to make me think he is a good manager. Certainly not a premier league manager. The players look lazy, confused and totally disorganised most of the time  I have no idea what his style is and im not sure he completely knows himself either. This squad needs some discipline and experience and quite frankly, Marti has neither.

[CarolinaFox]

We also need to start thinking in context of the points deduction. We are 13th on paper but with a 6 point deduction we are really 18th. The performances just Don’t support keeping Marti. We are constantly playing from a losing position early in matches. Negative football with no improvement week after week. Haven’t been confident about any of our performances. It’s not a question now of if he’s going to come good, we’ve had enough Marti ball to know how this ends it’s whether or not the board will be proactive and stop the rot before we are so far adrift that a  mid table finish is the new season target.

[Reg Vardy]

2 minutes ago, CarolinaFox said:

We also need to start thinking in context of the points deduction. We are 13th on paper but with a 6 point deduction we are really 18th. The performances just Don’t support keeping Marti. We are constantly playing from a losing position early in matches. Negative football with no improvement week after week. Haven’t been confident about any of our performances. It’s not a question now of if he’s going to come good, we’ve had enough Marti ball to know how this ends it’s whether or not the board will be proactive and stop the rot before we are so far adrift that a  mid table finish is the new season target.

It likely is, and what’s the vision if we did by chance get promoted, are Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley stronger than us….for sure, have we got the funds to buy, sure not…..write it off, offload the players, and assess Marti after seasons end….,there is absolutely no point in us getting promoted, poor ****er had 3 kids, one of whom got sent off, none of whom are ready, plus the rest who want away/are here for the money……

[Edingleyfox]

I think that the squad is fairly average for the Championship no more. Felt sorry for Aluko yesterday who had no time to settle in and wasn’t helped by some of his team mates making mistakes. Marti has a huge job and my worry is that he will increasingly opt for defensive choices when creativity is already lacking. 

[Pliskin]

2 minutes ago, Edingleyfox said:

I think that the squad is fairly average for the Championship no more. Felt sorry for Aluko yesterday who had no time to settle in and wasn’t helped by some of his team mates making mistakes. Marti has a huge job and my worry is that he will increasingly opt for defensive choices when creativity is already lacking. 

With Fatawu, Mavididi, James and Monga that shouldn’t be the case….. this idea we lack creativity is a bit of a false excuse……

[les-tah]

Got to go for me and im normally one of the last to hang on.
 

We are painful to watch.  There is enough ability in this team to look half decent and he has us playing like a bag of sh1t. Southampton proved with sacking Will Still you can suddenly look good without the burden of a bad manager.

Edited 26 November 2025 by les-tah

[Les-TA-Jon]

We saw with the move from Cooper to RVN, this debate isn't about whether Marti is good enough or not, the debate is about: do we think this regime can identify and appoint the right successor? 

• We have an imbalanced squad, full of a mix of wantaway players, players in final years of contracts, stale players here too long, players relegated here twice and (somewhat promising) players who are only here on loan
• We have managed to breach PSR 1-3 times whilst getting relegated twice and despite being midtable, have the highest wage bill in the league. It's a rancid time on and off the pitch for 3-4 years. The drop in standards is crazy. 
• Recruitment is patchy and confused - you get occasional gems like Fatawu and BEK coupled with overpaid duffers like Ayew, BDCR and Skipp
• High level strategy is also all over the place: Rodgers > Smith > Maresca > Cooper > RVN > Cifuentes is bonkers. 
• We've fought PSR charges defiantly in the courtroom but not made any real attempt to change our model through recruitment. We went up and could have 'pocketed' the cash, but instead spent terribly and lumbered ourselves with more average players
• We are way off finishing top 2 this season. Current results suggest Playoffs could be difficult to achieve. We may yet receive a points deduction this season. 

What on earth is a new manager going to change on any of the above? Especially if appointed mid-season? 

 

If the club is confident they're appointing a 'Pearson style builder' manager, then fine, get him in and give him as much time as possible - but do we think the club can actually find him, let alone convince him to join? Did the club already think they'd done that with Marti? 

Edited 26 November 2025 by Les-TA-Jon

[Dan]

He'll be gone before the new year. Our December is crap. Three away games and a tricky home game to start - all very loseable.

[Dan]

3 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

3 months we took to appoint him

 

We're so ****ed under this ownership.

The worst run club in England. Give me any outcome that forces these lot out no matter what it is. Anything beats this.

[fuzzymizzit]

1 hour ago, Marshall Cockney Fox said:

Not watched all games. But from what I can see Swansea away was pretty much the only complete performance. And that wasn't great to start with either. I don't feel sorry for Marti. Strikers aside,  there is ample quality in that squad. Maybe not to chase promotion, but certainly to develop a competent and effective system. But I see none of that. I see flashes of fluidity, but no continuity. And the threat of a constant cock up anytime. Sorry Marti that shite show sits on your shoulders. And for that reason your tenure needs to end. 

This is exactly where I am with it. People keep saying our squad isn't good enough to go up and I agree, but they are good enough to put in better performances than we've seen all season. I'm not asking for a miracle but a visible and/or effective plan would be nice. He's fvcking dogmuck.

[RoboFox]

Just now, Les-TA-Jon said:

We saw with the move from Cooper to RVN, this debate isn't about whether Marti is good enough or not, the debate is about: do we think this regime can identify and appoint the right successor? 

• We have an imbalanced squad, full of a mix of wantaway players, players in final years of contracts, stale players here too long, players relegated here twice and (somewhat promising) players who are only here on loan
• We have managed to breach PSR 1-3 times whilst getting relegated twice and despite being midtable, have the highest wage bill in the league. It's a rancid time on and off the pitch for 3-4 years.
• Recruitment is patchy and confused - you get occasional gems like Fatawu and BEK coupled with overpaid duffers like Ayew, BDCR and Skipp
• High level strategy is also all over the place: Rodgers > Smith > Maresca > Cooper > RVN > Cifuentes is bonkers. 
• We've fought PSR charges defiantly in the courtroom but not made any real attempt to change our model through recruitment. We went up and could have 'pocketed' the cash, but instead spent terribly and lumbered ourselves with more average players
• We are way off finishing top 2 this season. Current results suggest Playoffs could be difficult to achieve. We may yet receive a points deduction this season. 

What on earth is a new manager going to change on any of the above? Especially if appointed mid-season? 

 

If the club is confident they're appointing a 'Pearson style builder' manager, then fine, get him in and give him as much time as possible - but do we think the club can actually find him, let alone convince him to join? Did the club already think they'd done that with Marti? 

We're finishing mid-table at best unless something changes. 

 

It's not just the results. It's the ****ing abhorrent performances too. The lack of goals. The lack of chances. We can't defend and we can't attack. Half of the players can't even be arsed to run or put their bodies on the line. We're second best - to a man - all over the pitch 80% of the time. The persistence with a system that patently isn't working with square pegs in round holes is astonishing and after four months in charge very few people have yet been able to actually identify what this bloke is trying to achieve. 

 

We've played 17 games and despite a handful of wins, we've yet to see a good performance in a single match. 

 

Yes, the owner is clearly terrified, utterly clueless and has surrounded himself with ****ing dross. Yes, half of the players want out and are just going through the motions but I refuse to believe this squad of professional footballers can be this bad. 

 

Southampton are case-in-point. We saw that when they utterly obliterated us last night. 

[fuzzymizzit]

2 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

We lurch from one crisis to another.

 

We need to shallow our medicine, cull the squad, sort out the back office.

 

Stop the short term stuff.

I agree overall but the problem is I don't think Marti is the man to steady the ship while all that's going on.

[Dan]

1 hour ago, Marshall Cockney Fox said:

Not watched all games. But from what I can see Swansea away was pretty much the only complete performance. And that wasn't great to start with either. I don't feel sorry for Marti. Strikers aside,  there is ample quality in that squad. Maybe not to chase promotion, but certainly to develop a competent and effective system. But I see none of that. I see flashes of fluidity, but no continuity. And the threat of a constant cock up anytime. Sorry Marti that shite show sits on your shoulders. And for that reason your tenure needs to end. 

Even that it took two wonder goals and they're one of the poorest teams in the division. Probably just about edged it over 90 but another flattering result.

[Les-TA-Jon]

1 minute ago, RoboFox said:

We're finishing mid-table at best unless something changes. 

 

It's not just the results. It's the ****ing abhorrent performances too. The lack of goals. The lack of chances. We can't defend and we can't attack. Half of the players can't even be arsed to run or put their bodies on the line. We're second best - to a man - all over the pitch 80% of the time. The persistence with a system that patently isn't working with square pegs in round holes is astonishing and after four months in charge very few people have yet been able to actually identify what this bloke is trying to achieve. 

 

We've played 17 games and despite a handful of wins, we've yet to see a good performance in a single match. 

 

Yes, the owner is clearly terrified, utterly clueless and has surrounded himself with ****ing dross. Yes, half of the players want out and are just going through the motions but I refuse to believe this squad of professional footballers can be this bad. 

 

Southampton are case-in-point. We saw that when they utterly obliterated us last night. 

I agree we're bad. But, as I say, a new manager maybe brings a slight uptick in results/performances, and then what? Does that magically solve all the other problems I mentioned? 

[FrankieADZ]

least theyve all caught on

MC seems to be a nice guy but honestly hes not good enough at all

[Pita]

Rudkin sure knows how to pick managers cooper,RVN and now Marti. 

[StriderHiryu]

5 hours ago, Parker Pen said:

I hope you are right! Individual performances and moments of quality have kept him n the job so far!

it’s the tactics and shape that a decent manager instills that gives the players confidence . At the moment we have none of the above.
 

Let’s also not forget that was an interim manager promoted from the under 21s that schooled us last night, not someone who had managed 100 championship games.

There's been a lot of talk in the BTG chat this monring about the manager. Sacking yet another manager does feel like the definition of insanity, but he's sacking himself. Any manager that is this low in the table after 17 games played is going to be on the chopping block. There are many different opinions on the topic, however!

 

Marti played right into Southampton's hands yesterday with his tactical approach. It should be noted that even possession loving Enzo let Southampton have more of the ball in both our games against them to hit them on transition. This time round, we let them do it to us and we got punished for it.

 

I think Marti can save himself, and I would look closely at what Southampton are doing... moved away from heavy possession and concentrating on hitting teams hard and fast on transition. Replace Scizenza, Azaz, Fellows and Armstrong with Mavididi, Ramsey / BDR, Fatawu, Daka and Ramsey. This team is never going to be world beaters, but IMO you could get a much better tune out of them than what we are seeing. 

[Fox92]

Just now, FrankieADZ said:

least theyve all caught on

MC seems to be a nice guy but honestly hes not good enough at all

I was astonished a club looking for promotion (us) appoints a manager who's best success is lower to mid table to be honest. A manager who was on gardening leave at the end of last season because he wanted out of QPR (presumably to WBA).

[cityfanlee23]

I will die on the hill that RVN would have been far more ruthless in driving the "old guard" out of the club and would comfortably have put up in a better position than we currently find ourselves. We had an identity issue and RVN was often accused of not blooding the youth in enough and those were fair assessments, but he identified very quickly a mentality issue at the club and was actively trying to stamp it out, we ended the season positively and beat what we expected to be our two biggest rivals this season comfortably. Everyone knows who my first choice was, but I took a fair bit of stick for saying I wouldn't be too angry if we just stuck it out with RVN because he at least showed there was some sort of tactical plan that he had at PSV and in the few games he had at United. 

I had multiple QPR fans tell me Marti doesn't have a plan and that he was rapidly declining amongst the fanbase. I took that as just disgruntled fans that MC had spoken with another club before being put on gardening leave. Give me RVN over this any day of the week and twice on Sundays. 

There are still plenty of forward-thinking managers who would join us and we need to take the leap before it's too late. 
 

[cityfanlee23]

8 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

I agree we're bad. But, as I say, a new manager maybe brings a slight uptick in results/performances, and then what? Does that magically solve all the other problems I mentioned? 

No, but it gives us more of a chance to stay in the division to fix them. Right now we are declining rapidly, all players have clearly lost belief in whatever the hell MC is trying to do, and at a time where our players are at their lowest confidence and morale is low, we could get a massive points deduction. 

It's as much a gamble keeping him on than letting him go at this point. It doesn't take a huge shift in the general environment around the club for a club like us to suddenly start doing a Luton or Sheffield United earlier in the season, this could spiral out of control very quickly. 

Edited 26 November 2025 by cityfanlee23