"Its a big challenge, I'm passionate about it": Marquez on coaching Indian football team

New Delhi [India], August 1 (ANI): Newly appointed India men's football coach Manolo Marquez said that being the coach of the national side would be a challenging role. He also opened up on some challenges of his new job and how he plans to tackle them.
FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian men's senior football team on July 20.
He replaced Igor Stimac, a former Croatian footballer, who was sacked as the India men's football team head coach earlier in June after the team's poor performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign. Senior officials of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) held a virtual meeting and decided to terminate Stimac's services as the head coach.
During the 2024-25 season, Marquez will continue his role as the head coach of the first team at FC Goa, handling both responsibilities concurrently before assuming the national coaching role on a full-time basis.
Speaking to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Marquez said on taking up the job as India's coach, "It is difficult, of course, but India has become like my second country as I have spent four years here, something that I have never done before. I think I know most of the important players in the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League, and I have signed a player from the Santosh Trophy as well, when I was with Hyderabad. I know the traditions, and I have got a good feeling about this. Football is unpredictable, but my feeling is that I am ready to take up this role."
On playing the dual role of Indian coach and club coach, Marquez said that it is all about being "professional" and he is not the first or last coach pulling off this double role.
"It is all about managing the time, and that should not be a problem for me. When there is a break in the ISL, I will be with the national team. It is a big challenge, but I am passionate about it," he said.
Marquez said that he is well aware of the fact that he will receive a lot of limelight, praise and criticism during his time as a coach for India.
"That is part of a coach's salary. Even if you choose one lineup, the person beside you may not always agree with you, and that is fine. What we must ensure is that we all work in the same direction. We have started the pre-season at FC Goa, and of course, our focus is in the right place. But I am also keeping an eye on all the teams in the Durand Cup, as well for the national team," he added.
Marquez said that over the years, ISL has become "bigger than before". He also said that Indian players have undergone a lot of improvement and still can improve a "thousand times more".
"When I initially came here, we were playing from within the COVID bubble, so the competition was short. Now we add a new team every year. When I initially arrived, the players were not as consistent. They would play well one season but fade away in the next campaign. Now that most of the players are aware of what they need to do, they are more professional and focused. Be it diet, rest, or training sessions, they follow all the programmes with the utmost discipline," he added.
On the difference between being a national coach and a club coach, Marquez said that he will answer this question after his first game and pointed out that his relationship with Indian players is really good.
"With most of them, I could sit and have a long conversation. I get to learn where they are from, whether they live with their families or with their wives. I now know about the differences in cultures when it comes to people from different areas of the country. How Kerala is different from Goa, which is different from Kolkata, which again is different from the northeast."
"The biggest difference with the National Team is that you do not have foreign players in the team. It is certainly a challenge, but I love it. I feel we will achieve important things in the next few seasons," he concluded his point.
Marquez said that while many coaches like to dictate how their teams will play, he will have to adapt to his set of players.
"I know that there are a lot of coaches who like to dictate how the team should play. My opinion, however, is that I have come to India; India has not come to me. Therefore, I have to adapt to the players I have," said the coach.
"It is different when you are a National Team coach, you can choose the players you want. Not like at a club where you can choose some players, but you have to work with the ones that you have on most occasions."
In general, I like to play with a lot of organisation and order, and I like to play through the wings. Every coach would like their team to play good offensive football, but the most important thing is to win. How you win is, of course, important, but we have to be a competitive team first and foremost," he concluded.
Marquez has been coaching in India since 2020. He has coached two ISL clubs; his first stint was with Hyderabad FC (2020-23), before he switched over to FC Goa (2023-present). He is an ISL Cup winner with Hyderabad FC in 2021-22. Overall, Marquez had an extensive coaching career in Spain: Las Palmas (top division) and Las Palmas B, Espanyol B, Badalona, Prat, Europa (third division). (ANI)