One would assume that it was not the perfect evening for Manolo Marquez after he termed his managerial debut for India as a “boring game”, saying that the team practically created no chances throughout the 90 minutes.
Manolo is not known for shying behind excuses, laying it straight that the clean sheet was the only positive thing from India’s opening match against Mauritius at the Intercontinental Cup 2024, which finished goalless at the GMC Baalayogi Athletic Stadium here on Tuesday.
The Spaniard threw an overall challenge at his team, saying that they need to improve, adding that many players finished the contest more tired than usual.
Manolo’s teams are known to pierce the opposition from the flanks. However, Mauritians’ compact defence rendered India’s wingers useless as the away team easily coped with the Blue Tigers’ blunt attacking.
“It is true in some moments, especially with Asish [Rai] and [Lallianzuala] Chhangte on the right, we created some chances, but nothing from the left. Manvir [Singh] was in the box, but the wingers and the attacking midfielder did not arrive. If players don’t arrive in the box, it becomes difficult,” said Manolo at the post-match press conference.
Despite picking out loopholes, the tone was not of criticism, with the Spaniard saying he had no complaints about the team’s attitude and praised his players for giving their 100 per cent. India was expected to win, being the stronger team on paper, but Manolo remained optimistic, saying it was a good game to show everyone that the team could improve.
As expected, Manolo’s team selection invited discussions as the consensus predicted that Sahal Abdul Samad would be the driving factor in the middle of the park. Instead, he chose Lalengmawia (Apuia) Ralte and Jeakson Singh as the midfield double pivot and played Anirudh Thapa in a more advanced role. The Spaniard defended his decision by saying he would choose players to suit the team and not just based on their form for their respective clubs.
“We need to find the quality. I need to check and watch how my players perform even though they are good players in different teams [they play in]. We will see how they manage the situation against Syria. It is not about finding the best players but the correct players. For example, Suresh [Singh Wangjam] played well in the limited minutes he got today. He showed a lot of personality. These are the type of players the national team needs,” Manolo added.
Where can India improve, and what are the positives?
Jay Gupta was one of the breakout players in the Indian Super League last season, and it was just a matter of time before he got a call to don the national team jersey. After Manolo’s arrival, fans are excited about how the player will flourish under the Spaniard, given both will be together at the club level at FC Goa. But against Mauritius, Gupta, playing at left-back, lacked his usual sharpness.
“Jay Gupta did not have a good game. He is a centre-back, not a fullback. In [FC] Goa, he will play as a centre-back. The first list (of the 26-man probables list) was a little tricky because we didn’t know how the players would perform,” Manolo said.
“We need to arrive with more players in the box. It is difficult to train that in two to three days, and it would be strange if we played a fantastic game. And this is not about the score. Even if we scored at the last minute or Mauritius scored at the last minute, I would have said the same thing,” he added.
Mentioning the positives, India’s Spanish head coach said that the centre-back position looks solid and praised the partnership between Rahul Bheke and Chinglesana Singh. Shelling out more information on his backline, Manolo confirmed that Mohun Bagan Super Giant captain Subhasish Bose will occupy the left-back role in India’s second and final match against Syria on September 9.
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