The Indian senior national team is set to embark on a fresh journey under the guidance of new head coach Manolo Marquez. The Spanish tactician, who has become a well-known figure in Indian football, will be balancing dual roles—coaching both the national team and FC Goa.

Marquez has already demonstrated his ability to nurture and develop talent, with several current national team players having previously thrived under his leadership. For Marquez, India has become a second home, and this new position allows him to deepen his involvement with Indian football and its players—something he has always wished for.

“India is my country after Spain. It is the foreign country I’ve spent the most time in,” Marquez said in a media interaction on Sunday.

“For a long time, I was thinking that maybe one day I would like to coach the national team and I'm here now. I am very happy and it is a dream for me to be the national team coach of India,” he added.

The 55-year-old will juggle between the two separate duties, keeping him busy during both the domestic and international calendars this season. However, this is not the first instance of a coach assuming such a dual role, and Marquez is confident in his ability to handle the pressure while maintaining his full commitment to both the club and the country.

“It's true that this situation is not normal, but they are manageable. It’s not the first time that the same person will coach a national team and a club together. There are many examples from the past of this happening in not just foreign countries but India as well.

“The matches are not at the same time. When the national team plays, there’s a break in the ISL, so that can be shared. In the first few weeks, there will be a lot of work. But it's my passion and I know it won't be a problem. Obviously, both jobs are about professionalism,” the Spanish tactician stated.

The Blue Tigers will participate in the Intercontinental Cup 2024, which will be Marquez’s first assignment with the team. The tournament, held in India from September 2 to 10 during the FIFA window, will precede the new Indian Super League (ISL) season, which kicks off on September 13.

India narrowly missed securing a spot in the third round of FIFA World Cup qualification after a draw and a defeat against Qatar in June. Now, they aim to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup through the next round of qualification, beginning in March next year.

Marquez’s side will be eager to achieve positive results in the upcoming tournament, potentially placing them in Pot 1 and securing a favourable draw in the qualification round.

“We will have six, seven games before the first qualifier in March. Let's see what happens in the first FIFA window before the ISL starts. In this situation, we are playing friendly matches and need to prepare for more important matches ahead. And we can’t forget we need to be in Pot 1 before December’s draw.

“The target now is obviously to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup if we speak about competitions. The target is also to improve the level of the Indian players in this case, to reach the next step individually and as a team. I don't like to speak about the ranking because sometimes statistics don’t show the true picture,” Marquez stated.

Marquez believes that the performance of Indian players is improving and he emphasizes that having the right mentality is key to achieving success. He highlights specific areas where players need to focus their efforts to achieve better results, ultimately contributing to the national team's progress.

“In five years the level of Indian players would be much better. Players will grow eventually, especially when they play stronger opponents. It’s time the players come out of their comfort zones.

“We have to be stronger mentally. In football technique, physicality and everything else are important but what matters the most is mentality. With the right mentality, we will get the right results,” Marquez commented.

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2023-2024