Cifuentes backs Celar after disappointing QPR debut

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Marti Cifuentes backed Zan Celar after the striker’s disappointing QPR debut.

The Slovenian struggled to make an impact as Rangers slumped to a 3-1 defeat at home to West Brom.

Celar was substituted in the second half and head coach Cifuentes admitted he needs time to adapt to English football – and was not helped by a lack of service.


Cifuentes said: “Usually players need some kind of adaptation. This adaptation can take a few weeks or can take more than that.

“It’s not easy for a player that has never played in the Championship to play against a very aggressive team like West Brom.

“We know about Zan’s qualities and they are mainly inside the box. But he needs partners and players that can feed him – and unfortunately in the minutes he was on the pitch he didn’t get many of those.”

Former Fulham forward Josh Maja scored a hat-trick as Albion came from behind to win after Lucas Andersen had put QPR ahead.

Cifuentes felt the result highlighted why he has been quick to manage expectations since impressively guiding Rangers away from relegation danger last season.

He said: “It’s a good reality check to understand something that I’ve been speaking a lot about in the last weeks, about understanding that the reality of this league is very challenging.

“We finished in a good way last season, which is fine, but it’s not going to help us to win any games during this season.

“So it’s a good reality check and hopefully in the long term it will help everyone to understand where we are.

“We need to be very humble and work very hard to achieve what we want to achieve.”