Complete disaster: Ex-India head coach's slams Indian football administration
Manolo Marquez has again criticised the way Indian football is being run as FC Goa prepare to face Kerala Blasters. With the ISL calendar unresolved and contracts nearing expiry, he says he cannot see a clear future for himself in India.
Manolo Marquez has launched a scathing critique of the state of football administration in India, calling the current situation “a complete disaster” as uncertainty continues to cloud the future of India's premier football league, the Indian Super League. The FC Goa head coach’s remarks come at a sensitive time, with growing instability around scheduling, contracts, and the long-term direction of the competition.
His comments arrive against the backdrop of a disrupted season in Indian football, where reduced fixtures, delayed scheduling, and commercial uncertainty have raised serious concerns among clubs, players, and coaching staff about planning for the future.
“I am from another culture, country, where I can say whatever I want. Here, it doesn’t look like this. I feel in India, people in football, journalists, don’t speak clearly about the situation. The situation is a complete disaster,” Marquez told the media ahead of FC Goa’s match against Kerala Blasters, as quoted by Times of India.
“For example, FC Goa or the team that wins the ISL play very important games (ACL 2 playoff) in less than three months. In less than two months, you must start pre-season, but nobody knows what will happen,” he added.
FUTURE UNCERTAINTY
FC Goa are set to face Kerala Blasters in Kochi in their final match of the shortened ISL season. For Marquez, who has spent six seasons in India, his longest stint outside Spain, the fixture could also mark a turning point in his journey, as he admitted uncertainty over his future amid the lack of clarity surrounding the league’s structure and long-term direction.
“I don’t want to say an outright no because anything can happen at the last moment, but right now if you ask me. I don't see a clear future for myself in India,” he added.
The Indian Super League season has been significantly affected this year, with the schedule delayed and the number of matches reduced to 91 from 163 in the previous 2024–25 season. The restructuring has been linked to uncertainty over media rights and reduced commercial interest in the league, raising questions about the league’s financial stability and operational planning.
The lack of clarity has also impacted clubs and players who are approaching the end of their contracts, with several teams unsure about preparations for the next season. This has created an environment of uncertainty, with coaching staff and management struggling to plan pre-season schedules and squad retention strategies.
Manolo Marquez has launched a scathing critique of the state of football administration in India, calling the current situation “a complete disaster” as uncertainty continues to cloud the future of India's premier football league, the Indian Super League. The FC Goa head coach’s remarks come at a sensitive time, with growing instability around scheduling, contracts, and the long-term direction of the competition.
His comments arrive against the backdrop of a disrupted season in Indian football, where reduced fixtures, delayed scheduling, and commercial uncertainty have raised serious concerns among clubs, players, and coaching staff about planning for the future.
“I am from another culture, country, where I can say whatever I want. Here, it doesn’t look like this. I feel in India, people in football, journalists, don’t speak clearly about the situation. The situation is a complete disaster,” Marquez told the media ahead of FC Goa’s match against Kerala Blasters, as quoted by Times of India.
“For example, FC Goa or the team that wins the ISL play very important games (ACL 2 playoff) in less than three months. In less than two months, you must start pre-season, but nobody knows what will happen,” he added.
FUTURE UNCERTAINTY
FC Goa are set to face Kerala Blasters in Kochi in their final match of the shortened ISL season. For Marquez, who has spent six seasons in India, his longest stint outside Spain, the fixture could also mark a turning point in his journey, as he admitted uncertainty over his future amid the lack of clarity surrounding the league’s structure and long-term direction.
“I don’t want to say an outright no because anything can happen at the last moment, but right now if you ask me. I don't see a clear future for myself in India,” he added.
The Indian Super League season has been significantly affected this year, with the schedule delayed and the number of matches reduced to 91 from 163 in the previous 2024–25 season. The restructuring has been linked to uncertainty over media rights and reduced commercial interest in the league, raising questions about the league’s financial stability and operational planning.
The lack of clarity has also impacted clubs and players who are approaching the end of their contracts, with several teams unsure about preparations for the next season. This has created an environment of uncertainty, with coaching staff and management struggling to plan pre-season schedules and squad retention strategies.
