Next QPR Manager: Pierre Sage has already dropped huge Loftus Road hint

Former Lyon manager Pierre Sage has emerged as a frontrunner to take over at QPR with current head coach Marti Cifuentes on ‘gardening leave’ and the 46-year-old has already teased a desire to work in the Championship.

Sage is the only name among frontrunners who has no history with English football. Tottenham Hotspur coach Ryan Mason and former Wolves manager Gary O’Neil are other lead candidates.

Cifuentes has not officially left Loftus Road but his position looks to have become untenable following a reported fallout with chief executive Chrisitan Nourry. The Catalan coach has been linked with the vacancy at West Brom.

Pierre Sage wants to manage in Championship amid QPR links

Sage was sacked by Lyon at the end of January, having first taken the job as interim head coach in November 2023, taking over from Fabio Grosso. He had previously coached in the club’s youth set-up.

Speaking to The Athletic after leaving Lyon this year, Sage namechecked the Championship as an exciting prospect to him. That is a boost to QPR should the coach be thought of as the ideal candidate.

Sage said: “I’m now ready for a new project. I want to begin next season either in France or elsewhere in Europe, ideally in the big five (leagues). My dream is to work in England because I think it’s the best country and the best league, the Championship is a good league too.

“My second job will perhaps be the most important. I think it was Jose Mourinho who said you become a coach when you are fired the first time. It was difficult to lose my job, but the most difficult thing was to leave Lyon because it’s my club, my town.”

Sage explains Lyon sacking

Lyon were bottom of Ligue 1 when Sage stepped up to the plate and oversaw a remarkable turnaround to help the club finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League. The team also reached the final of the Coupe de France, where they lost 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain.

A poor run of results in January of this year, which included a cup exit against amateur side Bourgoin-Jallieu, led to Lyon owner John Textor giving Sage his marching orders. The manager was replaced by Paulo Fonseca.

Sage said: “The decision was a market opportunity for the owner. The name of Paulo Fonseca against the name Pierre Sage gave him (Textor) more guarantees to maybe find a new investor, to improve the club in other ways too.

“He wanted this coach for a long time and he had the opportunity to get him, so he convinced him to come and they did a deal for two and a half years. But I have a lot of respect for the owner because he gave me my chance.”

Newcastle United assistant Jason Tindall had also been linked with the QPR role but has recently spoken of his happiness at St James’ Park and does not harbour desires over becoming number one. NewcastleWorld outlined that the Newcastle United coach coming to Loftus Road would be ‘extremely unlikely’.

In other news, Marti Cifuentes compared to Neil Warnock, Ian Holloway and other past QPR bosses after gardening leave decision.