Martí Cifuentes, newly appointed head coach of Leicester City, has described the Championship Club as a “big club” loaded with “fantastic potential and quality”.
The Spaniard made the statement at his first interview as new manager of the Foxes; he joins Leicester City rom Queens Park Rangers.
Cifuentes replaces Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who was unable to help Leicester City escape relegation.
Martí Cifuentes’ first interview as new manager of Leicester City, according to the Club’s official website
On his decision to join Leicester City…
“First of all, the history; I know about how big the tradition of the Club is.
“Secondly, I think there is fantastic potential and quality in the squad. I’m looking forward to working with people who have certainly achieved big things in football in this Club.
“I always think that all teams can always improve and develop and that’s part of management to understand the team. Some of the reasons that attracted me to be here was that there is a good quality of players for the style that I like to play.
“Of course it will take some time until we see the version of the team that I would like to see, but the base I’m sure is going to be there from day one. I’m looking forward to meeting the group and all the players.
“Third, we have one of the best training facilities in the world, a fantastic stadium and there is definitely a lot of things that attracted me. From someone coming from Barcelona, I already knew about Leicester.
On his coaching journey…
“So far it is a fantastic journey. From someone who started to play the game when I was six or seven years-old. For different reasons, I started to coach quite early. I really loved it from day one.
“It’s true that in the game you never know what the next step will be, but I’ve had an opportunity now to coach in five different countries and to have an opportunity to train in a club like this in England is a fantastic experience.
“When I was playing, I was 13, 14 years-old and already starting to prepare line-ups and analysing the teams. It was very clear for me that I wanted to play as much as I could, but at the same time, it was always on my mind to start to coach, but I didn’t expect to start to coach as soon as I did. So far, I don’t regret it, just the opposite, I’m enjoying every piece of it.”
On the Championship…
“I was watching a lot of games before coming to England. Everybody knows how tough, how ruthless this league can be. The fact that it’s 46 games, the fact that it’s definitely a very demanding league, not only in terms of the physical part, but mentally as well.
“It’s a league that demands a lot from all the players, from the staff. In that sense, I learnt a little more about it still; about the ways of playing that you can find across the league. But for me, definitely it has been a good learning in the last few years.
“Sometimes in England, especially in the Championship, the schedule is so demanding. At times, if I need to stay in the office to have meetings or prepare a game plan, I’ll do it. But I would say 99 per cent of times I’m out on the pitch working with the players.”
Photo: Martí Cifuentes, newly appointed manager of Leicester City. X/Leicester City
