‘Indian players need to get out of comfort zones, toughen up mentally,’ says newly appointed coach Manolo Marquez

Spaniard Marquez, named as replacement for Stimac last month, was honest in his assessment of Indian players not moving out of their comfort zones and being mentally not strong enough.

File Photo: Indian football head coach Manolo Marquez addressing the media. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The newly-appointed national football coach Manolo Marquez has admitted there are challenges ahead for the team but is hopeful of improving both the standards and the standings in his three-year tenure that starts next week.

In his first official interaction with the media here on Sunday Spaniard Marquez, named as replacement for Igor Stimac last month, was honest in his assessment of Indian players being reluctant to move out of their comfort zones and being mentally not strong enough.

“The level of Indian players is better than what it was five years ago. But it can be better and improve faster. My feeling is that Indian players are very comfortable. Life is very good for them in the ISL and it is difficult for them to try and go abroad. You will grow when you play abroad. 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,” he said candidly.

Only a handful of Indians have ever signed up with a foreign club -- Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan and Sunil Chhetri among them. Not surprisingly, they have been the best performers with the national side in the last few years. Marquez also declared that the Indian players needed to toughen up mentally.

“We need to improve in this aspect, they have to be stronger mentally. Technique, tactics, fitness are important but if the head doesn’t work, you can do nothing. If you are losing 2-0 in the 20th minute, you have 70 minutes to turn the game. And this is possible. If the mentality is correct, we will get good results,” Marquez shrugged.

He also stressed on the importance of being professional more than once, refusing to be bothered with doubts of conflict of interest in his role as the chief coach of Indian Super League club FC Goa. “It is not the first time, it won’t be the last. It is not common but there are big names, Guus Hiddink, Renus Michels and others, who have managed a club and national team. It is finally about professionalism. We will work very hard for the national team,” he said.

While he was glad to get a chance to coach a national team, Marquez also agreed that getting Indian coaches was the key to long-term success. “One target for the national team going forward should be to have an Indian coach. I can speak very good about India but an Indian coach will know better how the country works and people in every part of India,” he insisted.