Paul Smyth: QPR players 'thriving' under Marti Cifuentes
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QPR's win against Stoke City last Tuesday was their first at home this season and Paul Smyth (centre) scored his first goal for the club in Friday's win at Preston
Queens Park Rangers forward Paul Smyth say the players are "thriving" under the attacking approach of their new manager Marti Cifuentes.
The Spaniard led QPR to their first back-to-back wins of the season with a 2-0 victory at Preston on Friday.
Rangers had been on a 12-match winless run, part of which led to the sacking of Gareth Ainsworth.
"The way he plays is very different to many managers," Smyth told BBC Radio London.
"He gives that freedom as a forward line to go forward and he wants the backline to take risks and play it out form the back.
"It was a tough position for him when he came in - the position we were in. So he wanted to put out his message that he is here to start winning games, and we drew the first two games, and he wasn't happy with the draws.
"He is implementing the winning mentality in us and that's what we thrive on, and have thrived on so far."
Cifuentes was in charge of Swedish top-flight side Hammarby for two years and has also coached in the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Since his arrival, Rangers have recorded their first home win of the season, a 4-2 victory against Stoke City, and lifted themselves to within four points of safety in the Championship.
"We see an opportunity to go out and enjoy every game we go into from the position we were in," Smyth continued.
"The camp is feeling good, the training is going well and all we can do is take on the momentum we have. We have a good squad, a load of good players and I don't think we will be there [in the bottom three] for too long."
'We're playing with enjoyment and freedom'
Smyth, 26, was brought to Loftus Road from Leyton Orient last summer by Ainsworth, having played under him while on loan at Wycombe Wanderers.
The Belfast-born forward has scored twice in six appearances for Northern Ireland and netted his first goal for QPR at Deepdale.
"I'm enjoying football playing under a manager who wants to play football, and give you all these different ideas to go out and attack the game," he added.
"That's who he is and the boys have thrived off him. We have a good load of players, who play football and are really good, technically gifted players.
"The manager has seen that and seen an opportunity to play it out from the back. He gives us all these different ideas.
"Every time you get the ball there is always three or four passes on and it's just crazy to see when we go back over the analysis of the game, there are just so many passes on.
"We're playing with enjoyment and freedom."