CHENNAI: INDIAN football is now looking for its third head coach for the men’s team in the last 13 months. The latest on the list being Spanish coach Manolo Marquez who left the job after a forgettable stint on Wednesday. Marquez replaced Igor Stimac in June 2024 as All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) hoped that he would get the best out of the Indian players. In the lead up to his appointment, the Spaniard had led Indian Super League (ISL) team Hyderabad FC to a league title in 2022 before making FC Goa become one of the most attacking teams in 2023.
However, he was not able to replicate any of it with the Indian team. To make matters worse, India did not win a single competitive game under Marquez, with their last win against Kuwait (1-0) in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers round two fixture coming back in November 2023. Underwhelming football tactics and lack of goals made watching India play an eyesore. It all piled on and culminated in Marquez deciding to leave the job as the AIFF had ratified this decision in an executive committee meeting at New Delhi on Wednesday.
As AIFF looks for a replacement, NA Haris, vice president of the body, said that applications will be entertained by a separate committee to hire the next coach. “We would prefer someone who is Indian and has worked with youth players,” he told this daily. However, he has reiterated that the AIFF will entertain applications from ‘everyone and anyone,’ suggesting that candidates need not necessarily have to be an Indian. “The committee will start screening applicants immediately and would then shortlist at least five candidates for the interview out of which one would be hired,” he stated.
If they do look at youth team coaches, Bibiano Fernandes could be one of the names in contention. Fernandes has led India U17 teams to three successive U17 Asian Cup appearances from 2018 to 2023. He now leads the U19 team, after a brief stint with the B team of ISL outfit Bengaluru FC. Another candidate might be head coach of Jamshedpur FC Khalid Jamil. Jamil, who is the only Indian coach in the ISL, has led them to two ISL cup semifinals, in addition to a final appearance in the Super Cup this year.
Marquez’s departure comes at a torrid time for Indian football, where things have sort of spiralled both on and off the field. India’s chances of qualifying to the AFC Asian Cup hangs in the balance as they sit at the bottom in Group C, with lower-ranked teams Hong Kong (153), Singapore (161) and Bangladesh (183) ahead of them. Considering the volume and quality of players at India’s disposal, in addition to their exposure to top foreign personnel, India’s position only brings a lot of questions.
Whoever takes the reigns as head coach might have a tough road ahead. The team is yet to replace veteran forward Sunil Chhetri, so much so the 43-year-old had to be called back this year after announcing his retirement. The AIFF also remains at crossroads, with a case in the Supreme Court regarding its constitution for the past three years. With very little time, it will be interesting to see who takes over reigns in the near future.
