Cifuentes: I’m Very Happy With The Application

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Cifuentes: I’m Very Happy With The Application

Martí Cifuentes says this pre-season camp in Austria is helping him learn about the people as well as the players after joining us earlier this week.

2025-07-19T08:45+01:00

by Sam Stevens

Published

19 Jul, 2025

Cifuentes: I’m Very Happy With The Application

Martí Cifuentes says this pre-season camp in Austria is helping him learn about the people as well as the players after joining us earlier this week.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-19T08:45+01:00

Cifuentes: I’m Very Happy With The Application

Martí Cifuentes says this pre-season camp in Austria is helping him learn about the people as well as the players after joining us earlier this week.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-19T08:45+01:00

Cifuentes: I’m Very Happy With The Application

Martí Cifuentes says this pre-season camp in Austria is helping him learn about the people as well as the players after joining us earlier this week.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-19T08:45+01:00

Cifuentes: I’m Very Happy With The Application

Martí Cifuentes says this pre-season camp in Austria is helping him learn about the people as well as the players after joining us earlier this week.

Sam Stevens

2025-07-19T08:45+01:00

New Leicester City Manager Martí Cifuentes takes stock on his early days in charge
He has been pleased with the application of staff and players during this formative time in the role
Cifuentes has used this week to get to know the personalities within the group
The Foxes take on Zalaegerszegi TE on Saturday, live on our YouTube channel and Foxes Hub

The 43-year-old was confirmed as our new Manager on Tuesday, getting straight to work in Seagrave before heading out, with his squad, to Austria to continue pre-season.

Our summer work continues on Saturday with a test against Hungarian outfit Zalaegerszegi TE (5:30pm BST kick-off), as Cifuentes starts to imprint the side with his football philosophy.

Speaking on Friday, the former Hammarby IF and Queens Park Rangers manager took the time to outline what’s pleased him about these formative days of his reign, give insight into the progress being made, and to elaborate on his ambitions.

“I think it’s always exciting when you join a new group,” he said. “To have the opportunity to start in a camp like this, in a great environment, to spend time with the lads, it’s been so good.

“I’m very happy with the application. I have to say not only from the players, but as well from the staff. In that sense, it’s very good to come into a team that is probably excited to get a new Manager, but at the same time, to see everybody is on board to work hard and use this opportunity we’ve got here properly.

“It's not only about the pitch work, which obviously is very important, but also the time the lads can spend together.

“Also the time with the staff, we have a lot of meetings in the day, in the morning, in the afternoon, planning, discussing about a way of playing, about training, about dynamics, about a lot of things.

“It’s definitely a time that hopefully sets the foundation for what we expect in the season. I think it’s very important to be very clear with the players. At the same time, it’s a lot of meetings, every day. Sometimes with the medical [staff], with the performance team, with players individually, and so on. I’m not resting much, but I came here to work, so no complaints.”

Spending that time with the players, not only on the pitch, but around our headquarters in Austria, has proven especially beneficial to Cifuentes as he gets to know the group.

“It’s been an opportunity to speak with the whole group and I try to use some of the time to see them individually, to start to know them better,” he explained. “Not only on expectations for the season, but also to know the human being behind the footballer, which is very important for me as well.

“In that sense, it’s been interesting to know how they think, how they feel. Usually it’s normal after a tough season for there to be some feeling, but we need to remind them that there are fantastic footballers in this team. We have a lot of quality. I’m here to remind them and make them understand that, if we work hard, I’m sure we can achieve the targets.

"They are in a good place and let’s see if we can show, from [Saturday], the identity we want to have as a team… not only in the way we play, but also in the way we behave as a team, when there are perhaps some adversities... I think for me, it was great to learn about the motto this Club has – ‘Foxes Never Quit’ – I think that defines me as well as a person. I’m identifying myself in this and, hopefully, this will be part of the team identity."

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