QPR fans deliver instant reactions to Julien Stephan appointment
QPR supporters have issued their responses to the news that the Championship club have appointed Julien Stephan as their new manager.
The R’s only parted company with their former boss Marti Cifuentes on Tuesday, 24 June, and replaced him with the 44-year-old less than 24 hours later.
Cifuentes was placed on gardening leave ahead of the last game of the season amid speculation surrounding his future.
The Spaniard will be fondly remembered by the Loftus Road faithful for guiding them to Championship safety at the end of an otherwise challenging 2023/24 campaign.
Thanks to Cifuentes’ stewardship, the West Londoners hammered then promotion challengers Leeds United 4-0 in April 2024, with Ilias Chair among those on the scoresheet.
Meanwhile, by joining QPR, Stephan has begun his first managerial role in English football, having previously been in charge of Rennes and Strasbourg in France.
QPR fans delighted by Stephan appointment
Stephan left Rennes last November, after a poor run of results, but he proved his class when he guided them to a Coupe de France triumph in 2019 via an unlikely win over PSG in the final.
That was their first trophy in 48 years, while he also guided Rennes to their highest-ever league finish in 2019/20, as they landed third spot in Ligue 1 and consequently secured Champions League football.
The 44-year-old also enjoyed a successful spell with Strasbourg either side of his two stints with Rennes, helping the club, now managed by Liam Rosenior, finish sixth in the French top flight in 2021/22, which was their best league position in 42 years.
Stephan’s appointment comes as part of an exciting summer at Loftus Road, while Kwame Poku is set for a QPR medical as exclusively revealed by Football Insider.
Meanwhile, QPR finished 15th in the Championship last season and will hope that the Frenchman can steer them towards the playoff places.
The R’s official X account posted on Tuesday, 25 June: “C’est our new Head Coach. Julien Stephan.”
One supporter commented: “This seems like one hell of an appointment to me, while another user said: “Promotion.”