Al Seeb a tough team, but FC Goa have possibilities to win playoff and qualify for ACL Two: Manolo Marquez
Panaji: Manolo Marquez is happy to be back at FC Goa after a short, uneventful full-time stint with the national team. Last season, the experienced Spanish coach guided the team to a second-place finish in the Indian Super League (ISL) and a Super Cup triumph. Now, amid uncertainty surrounding Indian football, Goa have to focus on the AFC Champions League Two playoff clash against Al Seeb on Aug 13, with plenty at stake. In this interview with TOI, Manolo throws light on the new signings, preparation, opposition and the team’s chances. Excerpts…
Last season you mentioned that FC Goa was among the best group of players that you had managed in your career. Given your not-so-memorable experiences with the national team, are you happy to be back?
Yes, because finally you want to work where you are happy. We need to start again. There is continuity (with the players) but football is not about what you did in the past. We cannot think of how we finished last season (winning the Super Cup). We need to start the new season on a strong note. It’s a strange and a different season, given the uncertainty around Indian football. We don’t know anything about ISL, but we have an important match on August 13.
Does the uncertainty about the ISL bother you or the players?
Not just FC Goa, the worry is everywhere. I have been reading (reports) that some teams have told the foreigners that they are free to leave, if they have offers elsewhere. If there’s no quick solution, things will turn worse. If in the end, they tell us that the ISL will start in December, it’s late, but still okay. At least we know that the league will be held. The doubts are not good.
Is it affecting preparations for the AFC Champions League Two playoff?
It’s a very important game and the players are focused. The pre-season training is a typical one, doesn’t change much. We need to work tactically, physically, mentally, and technically.
How do you see Goa’s clash against Al Seeb in the playoff?
We know the team we face. They were champions of the AFC Cup in 2022. Their team is practically the national team of Oman with a high percentage of players who are fighting to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in history. It’s a very strong team. We have to be at our best, and there will be possibilities to win this game. I hope we have a full stadium; we need the fans. In my opinion, it will be an equal game.
Goa have three new foreign players with two of them -- David Timor and Pol Moreno – playing in India for the first time. Do you think they can make up for the absence of captain Odei Onaindia and Carl McHugh, two important players from the last two seasons?
It's difficult to compare. The reality is that David Timor and Pol Moreno are players with a lot of experience. Timor is a big player in Spain and has played about 400 games in the top divisions. I know Pol Moreno because he’s from my city (Barcelona). I have known him for a long time. He’s a good centre-back for this competition, for sure.
A lot of fans expected Goa to sign a high-profile striker…
A lot of people are expecting Coro, but there’s only one Coro. There’s only one Barth Ogbeche. You cannot find these kind of players easily in the (transfer) market. Javier Siverio was my player at Las Palmas (in Spain), then Hyderabad, and now here at FC Goa. He will always score goals. Siverio is completely aware of what people think about his game. He will continue to do his job, and he will always score goals. We were searching for a number nine (on the field), someone who hovers inside the box. Siverio will do the job for us.
Last season you mentioned that FC Goa was among the best group of players that you had managed in your career. Given your not-so-memorable experiences with the national team, are you happy to be back?
Yes, because finally you want to work where you are happy. We need to start again. There is continuity (with the players) but football is not about what you did in the past. We cannot think of how we finished last season (winning the Super Cup). We need to start the new season on a strong note. It’s a strange and a different season, given the uncertainty around Indian football. We don’t know anything about ISL, but we have an important match on August 13.
Does the uncertainty about the ISL bother you or the players?
Not just FC Goa, the worry is everywhere. I have been reading (reports) that some teams have told the foreigners that they are free to leave, if they have offers elsewhere. If there’s no quick solution, things will turn worse. If in the end, they tell us that the ISL will start in December, it’s late, but still okay. At least we know that the league will be held. The doubts are not good.
Is it affecting preparations for the AFC Champions League Two playoff?
It’s a very important game and the players are focused. The pre-season training is a typical one, doesn’t change much. We need to work tactically, physically, mentally, and technically.
How do you see Goa’s clash against Al Seeb in the playoff?
We know the team we face. They were champions of the AFC Cup in 2022. Their team is practically the national team of Oman with a high percentage of players who are fighting to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in history. It’s a very strong team. We have to be at our best, and there will be possibilities to win this game. I hope we have a full stadium; we need the fans. In my opinion, it will be an equal game.
Goa have three new foreign players with two of them -- David Timor and Pol Moreno – playing in India for the first time. Do you think they can make up for the absence of captain Odei Onaindia and Carl McHugh, two important players from the last two seasons?
It's difficult to compare. The reality is that David Timor and Pol Moreno are players with a lot of experience. Timor is a big player in Spain and has played about 400 games in the top divisions. I know Pol Moreno because he’s from my city (Barcelona). I have known him for a long time. He’s a good centre-back for this competition, for sure.
A lot of fans expected Goa to sign a high-profile striker…
A lot of people are expecting Coro, but there’s only one Coro. There’s only one Barth Ogbeche. You cannot find these kind of players easily in the (transfer) market. Javier Siverio was my player at Las Palmas (in Spain), then Hyderabad, and now here at FC Goa. He will always score goals. Siverio is completely aware of what people think about his game. He will continue to do his job, and he will always score goals. We were searching for a number nine (on the field), someone who hovers inside the box. Siverio will do the job for us.
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