QPR: Big twist emerges in Marti Cifuentes, West Brom saga | OneFootball

The Spanish coach was being earmarked to take over at the Hawthorns.

Marti Cifuentes is not on the shortlist to become West Bromwich Albion's new head coach at this stage.

This is according to John Percy of The Telegraph, who has reported that nobody has been offered the chance to be Tony Mowbray's successor yet, following his sacking just more than a week ago. Lewis Cox of the Express & Star has also stated that Cifuentes is not currently being lined up by the Baggies.

It had been reported by the likes of The Telegraph and Alex Crook of talkSPORT on Tuesday evening that Albion were set to make a move for Cifuentes, who has been placed on gardening leave by Queens Park Rangers amid uncertainty over his future, but that no longer appears to be nailed on.

Marti Cifuentes is not on West Bromwich Albion's managerial shortlist

According to Percy, West Brom are yet to offer anyone their vacant managerial position, but, more importantly, Cifuentes is not one of the candidates that they are looking at.

The former Hammerby IF boss joined QPR in October 2023 and has had some seriously impressive spells at Loftus Road. However, things have gone sour recently, with Cifuentes hinting at issues he had with the behind-the-scenes operations at the club, which eventually led to the club placing him on gardening leave.

QPR have essentially sacked him and will eventually be on the search for a new boss themselves, but the move they have made allows them to claim compensation should the 42-year-old, who signed a new multi-year deal with the R's earlier this season, move to another club.

In the meantime, QPR assistant coaches Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm will take charge of the club's final game of the season against Sunderland. James Morrison also remains in charge of the West Brom first-team on an interim basis. They play relegation-threatened Luton Town on Saturday.

Marti Cifuentes' reputation has taken a bit of a hit

If The Hawthorns was Cifuentes' preferred next destination - and is now looking like a hugely unlikely one - then the moves that he seems to have made to get himself away from Loftus Road and into the arms of the Baggies has done more harm than good.

For all that he could be a great appointment for some club, anyone who now looks to bring in the Spaniard will always have a question in the back of their head about his ultimate commitment to their club.

Had he seen out the season and then made a move once the footballing summer had started, then things might not have got as messy as they have for Cifuentes.