EXCLUSIVE: Ilias Chair on QPR's resurgence under Cifuentes & playing for Morocco
“Yes, definitely," says the man in question when catching up with Tribal Football for a chat about recent events at the club from South Africa Road.
“You see the smile on my face. It's enjoyable at the moment and hopefully, we can keep this up. But of course, you must keep grounded in this league, we all know the Championship is relentless.
"It can go one way quick, but it can also go the other way," Chair says not least referring to QPR themselves, who at one point sat in first place last season only for it all to unravel in spectacular fashion.
The Morocco international is now serving under his fifth manager at QPR with four of them coming in since the beginning of last season. However, initial results indicate the club has finally landed on the right fit with Marti Cifuentes.
“What he has done in a few games is nothing less than unbelievable. And I think everyone is on board. What he wants, the way he wants to play, the identity of the team. I think that's very important," Chair explains of the start under the latest boss before once again getting cautious.
“Hopefully we can keep it going because there's a lot of games coming up and it's very important that we keep consistent. I think you've seen many examples of teams getting promoted after being at the bottom end of the table for the first half of the season. There's been plenty of examples the other way around as well."
“I don't look at the table too much, but it's so tight. A couple of wins in a row and you find yourself in a position you couldn't even think about four weeks earlier," says Chair who wasn't aware of Cifuentes before the Spaniard arrived at Loftus Road, but he's blown in like a fresh breeze.
“We needed something fresh, something new and he came in and said the right thing at the right time. Everyone bought into it, I'm very impressed in the way he wants to work. I know it's early days, but I think things will get better over time," Chair says of the manager who's having the players enjoy their football again while simultaneously acknowledging their part in things not working out under Gareth Ainsworth.
“We as players have to hold our hands up and take responsibility as well," he says even though it was obvious QPR didn't play a lot of football suited to Ilias Chair.
“We all know I'm a technical player. I like to play football with the ball on the ground, but I also don't mind getting my hands dirty and put a shift in. But the way we are playing right now suits me perfectly.
“I'm getting into positions now where I can affect the game a little bit more. Before, it was more about soaking up the pressure. Now I'm getting the ball a little bit higher so I can make things happen in and around the box and that's where my game blows up," says Chair who has enjoyed the addition of seasoned players like Steve Cook and Asmir Begovic to the squad.
“They have been massive for us. Just in terms of the experience they bring to the team and what kind of information they have on other teams as well. It's been good for us, especially the younger players have benefitted a lot from it."
Chair was part of the Moroccan team that reached the semifinals of the World Cup in 2022 and he's hoping his current form will help him get a call-up for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
“We speak on a weekly basis, they've been telling me what the manager wants me to do in terms of getting into the squad. Of course, I want to go and represent the country that I love, but right now, I'm just focused on QPR."
Coming fourth in the 2022 World Cup naturally puts Morocco up there with the top favourites to win it and Chair believes they have what it takes.
“In Hakimi, we have the best right-back in the world and Hakim Ziyech seems to be regaining some of his earlier form with Galatasaray. Every time I watch him, it's a joy and I can't wait for him to do even bigger things with Galatasaray. Chelsea made a mistake of letting him go," says Chair who is once again feeling the love of the QPR supporters.
“The fans I talk with have always been behind us through thick and thin and what a privilege it is for us to play in front of them."