'Resigned In April, But AIFF Asked Me To Stay Till June': Manolo Marquez Reveals Reasons Behind Departure
Former India football coach Manolo Marquez resigned in April, but the AIFF convinced him to stay until June. He led India in eight matches with only one win.
Former India men's football head coach Manolo Marquez has revealed that he initially submitted his resignation in April, but the All India Football Federation (AIFF) persuaded him to extend his tenure for a few more months.
The Spaniard took over the national team following the abrupt departure of Igor Stimac in early 2024.
Marquez led India in eight matches during his brief stint, managing only one victory—a 3-0 win over the Maldives in a friendly encounter.
His tenure came to an abrupt end after the AIFF Executive Committee, during its meeting in the national capital, agreed to relieve Marquez, despite having a year left in his contract.
But, it has now been revealed by Marquez himself, that he desired to leave much earlier.
'I resigned in April, but they asked me to do it in the June window. They tried to convince me for a month to continue at the head of the Indian national team," Marquez said in an interview with Spanish outlet Marca.
Marquez's exit came after India's underwhelming start to the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.
The Blue Tigers were held to a draw against Bangladesh in their opening game and suffered a last-minute 0-1 defeat to Hong Kong, thereby putting both the coach and the team under immense scrutiny.
Despite the disappointing outcomes, Marquez emphasized that the poor results weren't the sole reason for his departure.
'I didn't want to leave because of the bad results. In fact, they tried to convince me for a month to continue. It seems that they have now accepted my initial decision," he added.
'Coaching the Indian national team was the dream of my life. But when you see that all teams do not play by the same rules, you feel that this is not your place."
'I admit that I have done things wrong, but if the results had improved, I would probably still be in office," he explained.
Marquez first arrived in India ahead of the 2020–21 Indian Super League (ISL) season to take charge of Hyderabad FC, and under his leadership, they clinched the ISL title in 2022.
Following his success with Hyderabad, Marquez took over as head coach of FC Goa, eventually leading them to a Super Cup, while also managing the national side in a dual role since early 2024.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
15 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Akash Deep bowled 'ball of the series' to Root: Sachin Tendulkar
Reuters Akash Deep celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Joe Root The legendary Sachin Tendulkar hailed Akash Deep as the "standout bowler" of the match and described his delivery to dismiss Joe Root in the second innings as the "ball of the series," following India's emphatic 336-run series-levelling win in the second Test at Edgbaston. Akash Deep returned figures of 6 for 99 in the second innings to complete a match haul of 10 for 187, while Mohammed Siraj claimed seven wickets across both innings to help power India to victory. Tendulkar was full of praise on 'X'. "India's approach was to take England out of this game and force them to play differently, making sure that there would only be 1 winner. What impressed me most about the bowlers was the length they bowled. "Needless to say, Akash Deep was the standout bowler, and in my opinion, he bowled the ball of the series to Joe Root," Tendulkar wrote. On a funny note, he also didn't forget to mention Siraj's diving catch at short mid-wicket. "Enjoyed the catch taken by Mohammad "Jonty" Siraj," the owner of 51 Test hundreds commented. Tendulkar also praised the batting effort which set up an easy win. The recently retired Virat Kohli wrote: "Great victory for India at Edgbaston. Fearless and kept pushing England to the wall. Brilliantly led by Shubman with the bat and in the field and impactful performances from everyone. Special mention to Siraj and Akash for the way they bowled on this pitch." Another former India skipper Sourav Ganguly was all praise for Shubman Gill and his team. "What a performance from shubman gill and his team.. with the bat and now with the (sic) and Siraj just brilliant .indian attack looking far superior than the English attack .. Akasdeep (sic) and Siraj are workhorses. india win without be better result with the fantastic Gill in charge. What a fantastic batting effort," Ganguly wrote on X. NCA director VVS Laxman said: "Well done, Team India on an exceptional victory! It was amazing to see the team's fighting spirit and resilience. Congratulations Shubman on an outstanding match with the bat and for leading the team with such poise. "A great start to your captaincy. Also great effort from Shiraj and Akashdeep. Wishing you all the best for your future matches," Laxman further added.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trained by a Punjab cop in a Chandigarh park, Mandi's son Abhinash Jamwal punches his way to world silver
1 2 3 4 5 6 Chandigarh: Joginder Singh was a happy man on Monday. A Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector who trains budding pugilists for free at Chandigarh's Sector 2 Bougainvillea Garden, Joginder felt his dreams come true when Abhinash Jamwal (22) won the silver medal in the men's 65kg category at the World Boxing Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan. Abhinash's victory comes as a soothing balm for Himachal Pradesh's flood-ravaged Mandi — his home district. Abhinash's uncle, Rajesh Bhaduria, brought him to Chandigarh from his village, Barot in Mandi, at the age of 14 because the atmosphere at home was not conducive to his growth. "Once in Chandigarh, he took me to Joginder sir for training," says Abhinash, who studied at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 28, Chandigarh. It was under Joginder Singh's watchful eyes that Abhinash learnt the basics of boxing and found his way into the system. Abhinash was a little under five feet tall when he started training under Joginder. "He is six feet now, just like Vijender Singh. He has worked really hard, and his success is a reflection of that," adds Joginder. "I personally feel like I have achieved something today." After training under Joginder and winning a silver medal at the National Junior Boxing Championship in 2018, Abhinash enrolled at the Sports Training Centre (STC) hostel in Mastuana Sahib, Punjab, which is part of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) regional centre in Chandigarh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo 아픈 사람의 99%는 목이 뭉쳐있습니다. 더 알아보기 Undo There has been no looking back for Abhinash since then. He does not plan to rest on his laurels and is preparing for the World Boxing Championship this September. "I will be back to training at NIS, Patiala, once I return," he says. Abhinash, who finds inspiration from Indian boxers Shiva Thapa and Nishant Dev, says an Olympic gold is the ultimate goal. "I will be working twice as hard for the Asian Games, from where I hope to book a berth for the Olympics," he adds. For Joginder Singh, Abhinash was the true winner in the final bout at Astana. "But maybe that's because I'll always have a bias for my students," he says. "One thing is certain: he will reach the Olympics and do the impossible one day. He has come far from Barot, hasn't he?" adds Joginder. Abhinash, meanwhile, had a message for "his people" in Mandi. "I feel sad about what is happening there. I just want people back home to stay strong, as everything will be fine. God always has a plan," he says. God had a plan for Abhinash too.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
New archery coach Rahul stresses on consistency
1 2 Kolkata: Rahul Banerjee missed out on winning an Olympic medal but now as the coach of the Indian women's recurve side he gets a second chance to fulfil a cherished dream. The former India archer will take the first step towards that goal in the Archery World Cup Stage 4 that begins in Madrid on Tuesday. "We have a good mix of experience and youth this time," Banerjee told TOI about the side. The team featuring Olympians Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat along with Maharashtra's Gatha Anandrao Khadake and Sharvari Shende has a good blend of experience and youth. Banerjee, who has been training star couple Atanu Das and Deepika for almost a year now, becomes the second Olympian after Limba Ram to become the national coach. "As I have travelled the same path, I feel I am able to understand the archers better than a foreign coach," Banerjee said, adding that he has already prepared a roadmap to the Los Angeles 2028 Games. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "We are seeing a number of youngsters like 15-year-old Gatha and 16-year-old Sharvari coming up fast. But I feel more than the numbers we need consistency. Archery is all about maintaining your standard in all situations. A little here and there can harm your chances," Banerjee said. The Arjuna Award-winning archer is aware of the fact that India have not won a World Cup medal in women's team category since 2021. "With change in rules, the team will be more important in the LA Games and hence I will look to get the combination right," Banerjee said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo However, the 38-year-old Banerjee, brother of Olympian archer Dola, is focussing more on scores than medals in Spain. "I am looking at this World Cup as a preparation for the upcoming World Championship in Gwangju, Korea (Sept 5-12). The World Championship is a huge platform which tests not only an archer's skill but also his mental toughness. I have chalked out some points and want to see how our girls can implement those in the competition," he stated. Banerjee is also working with the team support staff at the national camp. "I feel results will come only if we are all on the same page. Hence I am regularly co-ordinating with the physio, psychologist and other people to prepare a wholesome programme for the archers," he pointed out.
