Manolo Marquez appointed new head coach of Indian football team

The Spaniard will sign a three-year deal to replace Igor Stimac.

The 55-year-old tactician from Spain, Manolo Marquez has been appointed as the Indian football team’s new head coach, subject to paperwork. Marquez will continue to coach Indian Super League side FC Goa until the end of the 2024-25 season, along with performing his role at the men’s senior team. 

🚨Manolo Márquez set to be appointed as the new Indian national team head coach on a three-year deal 🇮🇳#IndianFootball #AIFF #football pic.twitter.com/ivFG87uaj2

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) July 20, 2024

The Spaniard has been appointed as the new head coach on a three-year deal after the AIFF analyzed the 291 applicants for the job and shortlisted 17 of them, as stated by AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey earlier. Marquez comes as a replacement for Croatia’s Igor Stimac, who was the Blue Tigers’ head coach since 2019. 

Commenting on the development, AIFF President Shri Kalyan Chaubey stated, “We are delighted to welcome Mr. Marquez to this important role and are also thankful to FC Goa for their generosity of releasing him for national duty. We look forward to working with Mr. Marquez in the years ahead. The AIFF, FC Goa, and Mr. Marquez will collaborate closely to ensure there is minimal impact between the two jobs and strive to achieve the best possible results for all involved.”

Responding to the appointment Mr. Marquez said, “It’s an honour for me to be the National Football Team coach of India, a country I consider my second home. India and its people are something I feel attached to and I feel a part of since I first came to this beautiful  country. I want to do my best to bring success to the millions of fans we have. I am very grateful to FC Goa for allowing us the flexibility to help the national team during the coming season while I am still the club’s head coach. I’m grateful to the AIFF for this opportunity and we hope to do great things for football.”

What happened to Igor Stimac?

Marquez is poised to take up the role after Igor Stimac was sacked as the Blue Tigers’ head coach on June 17. This was because of India’s poor performances in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers second round, where the Blue Tigers only won one of the six matches and finished in third place in their group behind Qatar and Afghanistan.

Stimac has since threatened legal action against the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and gotten into a nasty war of words. The Croatian spent five years as the Indian team’s head coach, helping them win the 2021 and 2023 SAFF Championships. He also guided the Blue Tigers to clinch the 2023 Tri-Nation Series and the Intercontinental Cup.

But, India’s poor performances in 2024, where they failed to win a single game, brought consequences. The Blue Tigers slipped down to 124th in the FIFA World Rankings, causing the AIFF to take the decision to terminate Stimac’s contract – which was initially supposed to expire in 2026.

Recruitment for new coach & Criteria for applicants

Soon after the departure of the Croatian tactician, the AIFF launched a public invitation for the India team’s head coach role. They circulated the notice on social media too, encouraging coaches from different countries to apply as long as they could fulfill certain criteria for the same.

Some of the criteria that AIFF demanded was for the coach to have a minimum 10-15 years of experience at an elite youth and senior level of football. They also wanted a coach with an AFC or UEFA Pro License. The AIFF also stated their preference for a coach who had experience in coaching in the World Cup or continental championship qualifiers in the past.

The applicants for the job reportedly included former ISL managers like Aidy Boothroyd, Simon Grayson, Staikos Vergetis, Albert Roca and Antonio Habas. But, it appears that Marquez ousted all these coaches in and is now ready to embark on a new chapter in his coaching career.

What has Manolo Marquez done in Indian football?

Marquez has been working as a head coach since 2002 and has decades of coaching experience. He has ben involved in the professional game since 1987, when he started his professional playing career at the regional level in Spain.

The 55-year-old Barcelona-born tactician has an impressive CV. He has coached prominent teams like Espanyol B, Las Palmas B and also Las Palmas’ senior team in 2017. Hhe had a 77.5% win rate as Las Palmas B’s head coach, helping them win 31 out of 40 matches under his guidance.

But, Marquez’s best years in his coaching career have come in India. He arrived in the country in 2020 as Hyderabad FC’s head coach. The 55-year-old helped make the Nizams one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the ISL, guiding them to win the 2021-22 ISL playoffs title and reach the playoffs in each of his three seasons in-charge. Under him, Hyderabad won 36 of the 75 games played and scored 128 goals!

Marquez spent the 2023/24 season as the head coach of FC Goa. He was able to help them maintain one of the best defensive records, only conceding 21 goals at the end of the league phase. Goa finished third in the league phase and reach the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Mumbai City.

The 55-year-old won the Coach of the Year award at the 2023/24 FPAI (Football Players’ Association of India) awards and is regarded to have one of the best football minds in the country. 

Manolo Marquez’s preferred setup

Manolo Marquez usually prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, with a stiff midfield consisting of two defensive midfielders and an attacking midfielder. The Spaniard knows Indian players well, having already performed his responsibilities at the helm of top ISL clubs like FC Goa and Hyderabad FC.

It also happens to be one of those rare moments when a coach will be simultaneously performing his duties both at the club and the national team. However, this is not the first instance, as we have seen it in the past when Armando Colaco managed the Blue Tigers in 2011 while successfully coaching Dempo SC, whom he stayed with for 13 years starting in 2000. Even the great Sir Alex Ferguson managed Scotland while coaching Aberdeen in 1985-86.

Manolo Marquez will have tough challenges ahead to prove his worth. He will have to coach the national team for an upcoming tri-nation tournament, with hosts Vietnam and Lebanon. Further, he will also have to manage the Gaurs in the ISL.

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