Not easy for Manolo but he’s the right person for India job: Juan Pedro

Panaji: NorthEast United FC coach Juan Pedro can understand the choice of players that Manolo Marquez has made for the national football team.
Handed the national team coaching job for the first time in his over two-decade long career, Manolo – who also coaches FC Goa – was expected to provided Indian football with the healing touch, after a disappointing FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign.At least in his first assignment though, the plan has not gone according to script. A goalless draw against lowly-ranked Mauritius and a 0-3 loss against Syria in the InterContinental Cup at home has left a bitter taste.
That the experienced Spanish coach persisted with some of the players who failed to deliver during former coach Igor Stimac’s stint, hasn’t gone down well either.
“I think it’s not an easy task for Manolo,” said Juan, NorthEast United’s Durand Cup winning coach. “He cannot be like an elephant and just destroy everything (overnight) by changing all the players. I think he did very well to keep the players who were playing (with Stimac), to know them. Now (after seeing them), he can say, ‘thank you very much’. He knows the job very well and I think he is the right person for the position.”
For his second assignment in Vietnam, Manolo has now made changes, handpicking Aakash Sangwan and Lalrinliana Hnamte for their India debuts. Goalkeeper Vishal Kaith and Farukh Chaudhury have also made a return to the national team, while regulars under Stimac like Anirudh Thapa, Rahim Ali and Nandhakumar Sekar have been left behind.
Juan understands the process and feels Manolo’s experience with Indian football cannot be understated.
“He is somebody who understands football very, very well, very experienced in India too,” said the Spanish coach.
Despite a not so smooth start to his national team coaching career, Manolo has also received backing from Odisha FC coach Sergio Lobera. The Spaniard won the ISL Shield with FC Goa, secured an unprecedented double with Mumbai City and then guided Odisha to a historic first appearance in the ISL semifinals last season.
When the shortlist for the national team was being prepared with focus on those with experience in India, it wasn’t surprising that Lobera’s name featured prominently.
“I think the Indian national team is in good hands,” said Lobera. “I would love to be in this position, hopefully in the future. I did not apply for this job because my club did not allow, they didn’t want me to do both jobs at the same time and I respect the decision of my club. But in the future, I would like to coach the national team. The team now is in good hands. Manolo knows Indian football and has done an amazing job with the clubs (Hyderabad FC and Goa).”