With former Spanish footballer Manolo Marquez earning the role of the Indian men's football team's coach, there is curiosity among the netizens to know who he is. Manolo Marquez has been appointed as Igor Stimac's successor, with the latter getting sacked after India fail in the bid for third round of the FIFA qualifying match.
Marquez played football for numerous clubs, but never played at the highest level and retired professionally aged 28. The 55-year-old got his managerial career underway in 2002, working with teams like Las Palmas (top division) and Las Palmas B, Espanyol B, Badalona, Prat, Europa (third division). The veteran stepped into the world of Indian football by becoming the head coach of Indian Super League team of Hyderabad in 2020. He later became the coach of FC Goa and will now serve the national football team.
Addressing the appointment, All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Shri Kalyan Chaubey commented, as quoted by the official website:
"We are delighted to welcome Mr. Marquez to this important role and are also thankful to FC Goa for their generosity of releasing him for national duty. We look forward to working with Mr. Marquez in the years ahead. The AIFF, FC Goa, and Mr. Marquez will collaborate closely to ensure there is minimal impact between the two jobs and strive to achieve the best possible results for all involved."
"I want to do my best to bring success to the millions of fans we have" - Manolo Marquez
In a statement commenting on his appointment, Marquez stated that he considers India as his second home and vowed to take the national side to unparalleled heights. He stated:
"It's an honour for me to be the National Football Team coach of India, a country I consider my second home. India and its people are something I feel attached to and I feel a part of since I first came to this beautiful country. I want to do my best to bring success to the millions of fans we have. I am very grateful to FC Goa for allowing us the flexibility to help the national team during the coming season while I am still the club’s head coach. I'm grateful to the AIFF for this opportunity and we hope to do great things for football
