In the career regime FIFA, the management of the club and the national team Procházka in the park is. On Monday you are juggling Windows and the weekend you train your national team in the World Cup fame and somehow everything fits perfectly. No angry fans, no headaches planning, no consequences in real life.
Indian football has tried to replicate this imagination in all its boldness. When the football federation of all India gave the reins of the national team Manolo Marquez in June 2024 While he continued as head coach FC Goa, it seemed like a courageous move. After all, Marquez earned stripes in Isl – Smart, folded and technically healthy. If anyone could do it, maybe it was him.
But almost a year later the experiment looks like a bad defect in the matrix.
The Indian national team is a qualifying group, three matches without target and fresh degrading loss of 153. Hong Kong. What was supposed to be a visionary double role is now an unpleasant warning story.
Loss of adhesion of both
It has never been easy. Being a club boss, such as FC Goa, pulls everything out of the manager-training session, tactical preparation, team management, decomposition after the match. Now add the job to revive the fighting national team that has not been qualified for the main tournament in the years, and you have a recipe for chaos.
The calendar is not bend. While Marquez focused on Isl in half a year, the national team had to deal with part -time attention. There was no long -term plan. There is no time for deep scouting. There is no time to build chemistry. And when the time came to switch the hats and take over for the blue tigers, he found a side that had no rhythm in the last third, no confidence and no idea.
No bites or with a chhetri
One of the greatest critics of Marquez’s term of office was the complete lack of an attack threat to India. In despair, Marquez even Created 40 -year -old Sunil CHETRI from International Retirement—No the largest striker India, a man whose completion is increasingly sharper than most of the group. Charetri’s return was supposed to add peace, experience and especially goals.
But in the decisive match against Hong Kong, Marquez finished him. And when the Indian front with the new appearance-including Ashique Kuruniyan-Si during the 39th minute confused the golden opportunity with an open goal, the decision returned him to chase him. Chartri’s absence was immediately felt. If it were at the end of this chance, many believe that the ball would kiss the net instead of the sky.
It wasn’t just a tactical confusion. It seemed like a team caught among generations, without direction and without confidence in my own firepower.
The Snub and-Liga
Another worrying trend under Marquez was his apparent ignorance for the I-League-Sty competition, which once raised some of the largest Indian stars. From Sandesh Jhingan to Jeda Lalpekhlu, the i-League has long been a launchpad for RAW, Hungry Talent, who later created his name in the Isl and the National Team.
But with his vision of the Isl accessory tunnel, Marquez showed little interest in recognizing or remuneration of a performance outside the ISL bubble. This is not just supervision – it is a missed opportunity to explore additional chose or gurpreet before prices are out of reach.
“People talk about i-League, but there is a difference between i-League and Isl. The strongest position in India is Isl. Playing 2, 3, 4, 5 good games in I-League is not enough;
If the national coach does not look at the second level, who will be? Indian football has no luxury of ignoring local or lower divisions. I-League is not just a relic-it’s still relevant. And for a country that needs a depth of more than ever, cleaning is a critical failure.
Flat results, angry fans
Let’s be real – we evoke Hong Kong. Not only because of the ranking (India was 26 seats above them), But because of what flat India looked like. There was no urgency, no spark. This result was followed by a hopeless draw with Bangladesh and others against Thailand. Three games, zero goals and growing wave of frustration of fans.
After the match, Marquez tried to hold together: “The dressing is like a funeral,” he said. And it was probably. However, at some point, emotions must be associated with solutions. And so far they missed.
India must now win all four remaining qualifiers to remain alive. But even one victory feels like a long shot at the moment.
No scouting, no depth
The work of the national team is not just about choosing the best eleven players – it is about building a pipeline, finding talent from every corner of the country and their care. But how do you do it when you have already operated the club?
Marquez, locked in FC Goa obligations, never had time to look at players outside the apparent ISL names. Scouting structure did not develop. Youth players remained on the edges. And the Indian attacking suffering, defensive lunges and tactical mess were a sign of a team that did not fully invest in his progress.
In FIFA, all your scouting messages will arrive in a neat list. In fact, it takes time, effort and patience – nothing from which this dual setting made it possible.
Clock
Pressure is pushing with matches against Singapore on the horizon in October. Marquez did not say that he wanted to resign, but there is a growing noise that a change could come.
And maybe that’s the best for the best. Eleven months after a two -year agreement, the idea obviously did not work. Indian football needs a coach who can devote everything to building this team from the ground up – no someone switches the role in the middle of the week.
This is not FIFA
What Marquez’s Stint has taught us is simple – it’s not a game. You can’t manage the club and the national team like FIFA storage file. Indian football needs full -time commitment, fresh ideas and a system that promotes long -term growth.
For the time being, it is time to postpone the driver and fix what is broken. Because in real life there is no “Simulate Match” button – and definitely no restart.
Published:
Rishabh beniwal
Published on:
June 12, 2025
