In 1st year of co-coaching with Goa, India coach Manolo Marquez to get window-basis wage from AIFF
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In 1st year of co-coaching with Goa, India coach Manolo Marquez to get window-basis wage from AIFF

By Ncr Ink
14

Manolo Marquez agreed on a three-year contract with the AIFF, with an understanding that he will simultaneously coach ISL side FC Goa and the men’s national football team during the 2024-25 season.

New India coach Manolo Marquez at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: AIFF

New Delhi: India’s new full-time national team coach Manolo Marquez would receive a ‘part-time’ salary from the All India Football Federation during the first of his three-year tenure, since he will practically be on ‘loan’ from FC Goa during the international match calendar windows that fall within that period.

He agreed on a three-year contract with the AIFF last month, with an understanding that he will simultaneously coach Indian Super League side FC Goa and the men’s national team during the 2024-25 season.

The Spaniard would then take over the national team on a full-time basis from the second over of his contract with the AIFF, once his agreement with Goa ends after 2024-25.

This arrangement has allowed the AIFF a way to ease financial burden on its already stretched coffers, having already reduced the competitions budget and individual prize awards of I-League earlier.

The federation could also potentially face a huge compensation bill for unilateral termination of Marquez’s predecessor Igor Stimac’s contract, should the Croat file a complaint with FIFA.

Money was a significant factor for the AIFF in opting for Marquez over Antonio Lopez Habas, who had guided Mohun Bagan to the Indian Super League Shield title last season.

Since Marquez will be at Goa and the national team at the same time, the AIFF will pay him for the four match calendar windows (September 2-10, October 7-15, November 11-19 and March 17-25) in which he will be in charge of eight international matches.

“As per figures discussed in the executive committee meeting on July 20, Manolo will get $40,000 (Rs 33.58 lakh approximately), i, e $10,000 per window. In the second year his remuneration will increase to around $350,000 (approx Rs 2.93 crore) with an additional increase of 10% in the third year should he guide the team to 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification,” an AIFF official revealed to News9 Sports, declining to be identified.

“Manolo’s assistants would get a cumulative amount of around $20,000 (Rs 16.79 lakh approx) in the first year.”

During his India tenure, Marquez would be flanked by assistant coach Benito Montalvo strength and conditioning coach Jose Carlos Barroso, the support staffs who are also on the payrolls of Goa.

FC Goa are expected to continue to pay Marquez as per their agreement.

Conflict of interest

In his introductory press conference as the national team head coach in New Delhi on Sunday, Marquez said that though it’s “not normal” to coach a club and a national team concurrently but it’s also “not uncommon”.

“It’s not the first time, nor it will be the last time,” the 55-year-old responded to a query from News9 Sports, pointing out examples of such instances in India and abroad earlier.

“It is about professionalism and my connection with Indian players has been very nice since the first day of my first job in India in Hyderabad FC.”

Being coach of a national team for the first time in his two-decade long career, Marquez accepted that he has a tough task at hand, since his first India assignment begins three weeks later through the Intercontinental Cup between September 2 to 10 in Hyderabad.

He would only have three days to assemble a team to face Syria (ranked 93) and Mauritius (rank 179). Under Stimac India slid to 124 in the FIFA rankings, unable to qualify for the third round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

“I don’t want to talk about rankings as statistics don’t always tell the true story. My aim is to improve level of the Indian players – collectively and individually,” he said.

“The players will also need to display stronger mentality while playing for the national team,” adding that they should be prepared to ditch their “comfortable” life in India and try to play abroad to become better footballers.

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