Indian National Team Should Have An Indian Coach: Manolo Marquez

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Soft-spoken Spaniard Manolo Marquez, aged 55, known for his exceptional ability to maximize his resources and bring out the best in his players, has been appointed as the head coach of the senior national men's football team in India. Despite this prestigious role, Marquez will continue his coaching duties with the ISL club FC Goa. In an interview featured on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) website, Marquez emphasized the significance of coach education worldwide. He praised AIFF's efforts in producing top-quality coaches across the country, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and development in the field of coaching.

"It's not only in India, but coach education is important in all the countries. Licences are important, and you definitely need them. But that does not mean you will be a better coach. Someone may not have a licence, but have more knowledge about football," Marquez told.

The Blue Tigers will begin their stint under Marquez at the Intercontinental Cup in Hyderabad, where they will face Syria and Mauritius in September.

During his four-year stay in India, Marquez said he observed the level of Indian coaches getting better.

"Over the four seasons that I've been here, I've seen the level of Indian coaches get better every season. Last season, there were two Indian head coaches – Thangboi Singto (Hyderabad FC) and Khalid Jamil (Jamshedpur FC). Clifford (Miranda) won the Super Cup with Odisha FC before that," Marquez said.

"I've also seen a lot of talented Indian assistant coaches over the past four years. I am currently working with a fantastic assistant coach in Gouramangi Singh, who is a former India international himself.

"In the national team, I will also be working with Mahesh Gawali, another good coach who was an excellent player for the national team a few years ago," he added.

The Spaniard feels that in the next few years, the target should be having a national team head coach from India.

"It's not just for the national team, but for the clubs too. Every Indian assistant coach at the clubs should aim to become a head coach in the next few years.

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"Maybe they can also start with being the head coach of the U-17 or U-19 teams before moving on to take charge of the senior teams," Marquez said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)