Manolo Marquez warns fans about ‘reality’ of Indian football team ahead of Syria clash

Hyderabad: India’s head coach Manolo Marquez, who is celebrating his 44th birthday on Saturday, has spoken about the ‘reality’ of the Indian football team. The Spaniard suggested that the team can beat Syria in their final Intercontinental Cup fixture but it will be a difficult fixture.

“I am quite satisfied with the attitude with which the guys have been working. What’s most important at this stage is to understand where we are at this moment,” Manolo Marquez told the AIFF media team.

"It will be a difficult game against Syria, but I do not want to give any excuses. I want to speak about reality. They have 10 players who play in Europe or South America, and of course, such opponents will be stronger,” he further said

“That’s one of the main reasons why we need to adapt as soon as possible to a clear style to be a competitive team. This does not mean we cannot win, but finding the correct combination and style becomes all the more important for us in such scenarios,” added the Spaniard.

Manolo’s era as head coach of the Indian team began on Tuesday when India faced Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup’s opening fixture at the Gachibowli Stadium. The game ended in a 0-0 draw in what was a disappointing match for the Blues. The team only managed to get off one shot on target against their lower-ranked opponents.

While India look to settle into their new style of play, the India head coach is busy looking at all the possible combinations that could work for him on the pitch.

Behind the scenes, Marquez’s assistants are hard at work with the players getting them ready for the challenges ahead. Assistant coaches Benito Montalvo and Mahesh Gawali, goalkeeping coach Marc Gamon, and strength and conditioning coach Jose Carlos Barroso work with the players on the training ground, in the gym, and in the tactical rooms to get the whole team on the same page.

“For sure we will be trying out different players, different combinations in these matches. At this stage, we need to find the correct group of players who can adapt to this style that we want to implement,” said Manolo.

“We’ve worked together for a long time, Benito, Marc and Jose, and Mahesh is also an exceptional coach. All of us are working together in the same direction. We are all aware of our strengths and weaknesses, and are building this team accordingly," he concluded.