FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez took over the reins of the Indian national team prior to the commencement of the current Indian Super League (ISL) season. Marquez, an established coach in the ISL, is stepping into a new territory and recent results haven’t been promising.
The team played a goalless draw against Mauritius before losing 3-0 against Syria in the Intercontinental Cup last month. They drew 1-1 against Vietnam earlier this week, so Marquez is still searching for his first win with the Blue Tigers. Here, we elaborate on four issues that he might have to fix as the boss of the national team.
- Replacing Sunil Chhetri
Given that the national team has found the back of the net only once in last three games, it can be argued that former skipper Sunil Chhetri’s absence is being sorely felt. Chhetri hadn’t been in the best of touches off late, but he still brought in leadership and a sense of assurance to the frontline that is being missed otherwise.
Marquez has a host of options in Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Vikram Pratap Singh, and Farukh Choudhary amongst others to choose for. But, someone will have to step up consistently and nail down the No. 9 spot for themselves, which will be challenging because none of the aforementioned names operate out of that position consistently.
- Correcting and harbouring a winning mentality
Upon taking the job, Marquez criticised the mentality of Indian players, hinting that nothing could be done if the head didn’t work, regardless of the tactics, technique, and fitness being in the right place.
The team cracked under pressure during the AFC Asian Cup in January, and they have arguably often failed to step up when the stakes are high. Surely, the team will work on their mental conditioning with bigger objectives to chase in the coming term, and it’s actually impressive that Marquez chose to acknowledge that straightaway.
- Closing the gap with more competitive peers
Marquez has also been critical of the team’s pace and lack of ability to think on the feet. He believes that they are technically well-equipped but need to enhance their gameplay on the given aspects to truly lock horns with stronger opponents. There are two aspects to be addressed here.
First, speed is a more cultural thing that needs to be looked after in the grassroots. Secondly, decision making is slightly instinctive that has to be honed from younger levels too. Marquez’s ability to work around these drawbacks and set up the team in a way that their strengths are optimised and the given two drawbacks are shielded as he works on them simultaneously.
- Getting Indian players out of their comfort zones
Marquez has also formerly said that Indian players do not challenge themselves by embracing stints abroad due to the comfortable contracts that they get in the ISL.
That, in his view, stops them from testing their mettle truly. “I am not speaking about the top level, Premier League or La Liga. But if you go abroad and play against opponents who are better than you, you will improve,” Marquez said in August.
Whilst choosing which club to play for is largely a decision of the player and his entourage, as the national team coach, Marquez can have a greater say and also their confidence to encourage them to play abroad, thereby uplifting their own standards and so that of the team too.
Marquez has undergone a patchy start in his new responsibility, but he has weathered such storms plenty of times in the ISL. One can rest assured on his track record that he can do it again and come out triumphant in the new colours that he is donning too.
