Manolo Marquez reveals an aspect of Vietnam clash that he's relishing

The Vietnam game will be Manolo Marquez’s first away assignment as the Blue Tigers’ head coach.

The Indian Football team will return to action for the first time since their disappointing Intercontinental Cup campaign in September. The Blue Tigers will take on Vietnam in an international friendly. It will be new head coach Manolo Marquez’s second assignment since taking over the reins from Igor Stimac.

India are yet to win a game having undergone a forgetful phase since the start of 2024. The year began with a heartbreaking AFC Asian Cup campaign followed by an equally dismal outing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, including a defeat to Afghanistan at home. It’s not been an ideal year in many more ways for the national team.

Captain, Leader, Legend, Sunil Chhetri’s retirement in June was followed by the sacking of Igor Stimac. Stimac stepped down as the head coach of the national team after five years of service. Manolo Marquez was identified as the new man to lead the Blue Tigers but has failed to live up to the expectations so far. A draw against Mauritius coupled with a defeat to Syria have been the only two results under the tutelage of the Spaniard.

India tasted a sweet 3-0 defeat the last time they came up against Vietnam in 2022. It will be the Blue Tigers’ first away match under Marquez. It remains to be seen what they can bring to the table. As India gear up to renew its ties with Vietnam, Manolo Marquez addressed the media and shared his thoughts ahead of the game. 

Preparations ahead of the game 

The Spaniard spoke about the amount of time that he has got with his team to prepare for his game. Coach Manolo Marquez said, “It’s not normal for a national team to have five days to train before a game, usually the time is shorter.”

He was also asked about the playing conditions in Vietnam. He did not hold back from saying, “The weather is very good and the conditions are also really good,” 

Playing against Vietnam

Vietnam are certainly a better side than India on paper. They have progressed a lot in the last few years and the results have been there for everyone to see, but 2024 hasn’t been kind to them either. They have struggled to find their mojo and have lost nine of their eleven games this year.

But, Marquez knows that the Golden Star Warriors can hurt his side on their day. He showed respect and said, “We know that we will face strong team tomorrow.”

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