"You are best suited to take the Blue Tigers to the next level" - Igor Stimac's message to new India head coach Manolo Marquez 

Former Indian head coach Igor Stimac, who was recently in the headlines for his war of words with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), has sent a message to Manolo Marquez, who is set to take over his role as the new head coach.

Marquez arrives with a strong reputation in Indian football, having coached Hyderabad FC and FC Goa in the Indian Super League. This season, he will have dual responsibilities, managing both FC Goa and the Indian men’s national team before fully taking over the national team next year.

Stimac, whose tenure ended poorly after India were eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, previously warned about the challenges the new head coach could face. Despite this, he believes that Marquez’s experience in India will benefit the national team. On social media platform X, he wrote:

"Dear Manolo, Congratulations on being named the new India head coach. The journey won’t be easy, but your experience with Indian players speaks for itself and you are best suited to take the Blue Tigers to the next level! Good luck my friend."

After a stellar 2023 that saw India win three trophies and go on an 11-game unbeaten run, this year has been far from what was expected. The Blue Tigers were knocked out of the AFC Asian Cup without scoring and were eliminated in disappointing fashion from the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after failing to beat Afghanistan and Kuwait.

Marquez has many problems to address. One of the most pressing is how the team will move forward without their skipper and legendary goalscorer Sunil Chhetri, who retired last month. However, the AIFF will give the Spaniard time to thoroughly analyze the situation before he takes over as head coach in September.

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"I want to do my best to bring success to the millions of fans we have" - Manolo Marquez

Marquez has long been considered a candidate for the national team coach role, with the 55-year-old previously expressing his interest as well. It will be interesting to see how he handles the challenges of managing both club and country, something quite rare in today’s football landscape.

Speaking to AIFF Media after signing the contract, Marquez expressed his delight at being named the new head coach and showcased confidence that India will reach great heights under his leadership.

"It’s an honor for me to be the National Football Team coach of India, a country I consider my second home. India and its people are something I feel attached to and I feel a part of since I first came to this beautiful country. I want to do my best to bring success to the millions of fans we have," Marquez said (via AIFF Media)

"I am very grateful to FC Goa for allowing us the flexibility to help the national team during the coming season while I am still the club’s head coach. I’m grateful to the AIFF for this opportunity and we hope to do great things for football," he added.

Marquez’s first assignment will arrive during the September FIFA window, with India reportedly set to play in another tri-nation tournament against two teams from Oceania and Africa.