Gurpreet backs Manolo, says Asian Cup qualification imp

Hyderabad: India may still be searching for their first win under Manolo Marquez nearly four months into his tenure but goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on Wednesday backed the head coach and said qualifying for the next AFC Asian Cup is the team’s “minimum” target.

The Indian football team’s last victory was a 1-0 win against Kuwait in the World Cup Qualifiers on November 16 last year. Since then, the side has struggled, losing seven of its last 11 matches and falling in FIFA rankings from a sub-100 position in July 2023 to 125.

“The past is past; we can’t change it. As a team, we always want to win,” said Gurpreet ahead of their home friendly against Malaysia here on November 18.

“Phases like this happen -- there was a phase when we were winning and not losing. “It’s about how you handle it and not getting bogged down by it. We’re lucky to get opportunities to do well again and again. We need to use the games we’ve played against good opposition as stepping stones. “The (1-1) Vietnam draw was a good test for us, and we need to carry the same understanding and energy into the next game,” he added.

After a disastrous 2023 Asian Cup outing, previous head coach Igor Stimac was replaced in July this year by Marquez, who is also managing ISL franchise FC Goa. Under Marquez, India drew with Mauritius and Vietnam and suffered a 0-3 loss to Syria. The transition has been marked by the retirement of star forward Sunil Chhetri.

“A transition like this is always difficult. Everything would feel perfect if we started winning games right away, but the important thing to remember is that we’ve played very competitive teams since the coach (Manolo Marquez) took over. “He’s trying to instill his philosophy, and that’s going to take time. In every camp, we’re getting closer to what he wants from us as a team. With time, training, and the level of coaching he has, I have no doubt we’ll be a strong team in the qualifiers.

“Qualifying for the Asian Cup is something we should strive for every single time, as we’ve done in the last two editions. That should be minimum for us. It should be a no-brainer for us as a team.”

The upcoming match will mark the comeback of India’s defensive mainstay Sandesh Jhingan. He is returning after recovering from a knee injury he sustained in a match against Syria earlier this year. “I’m very happy to have Sandesh back in the squad. The team is very young, and sometimes it’s hard to have conversations with the younger players. Having someone like him in the dressing room is great.