Wed Jul 02 12:02:36 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, written from an Indian perspective, suitable for “The Hindu”:

**Headline: Manolo Marquez Departs as Indian Football Coach After Disappointing Run**

**New Delhi, July 2, 2025:** Manolo Marquez’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian national football team has abruptly ended, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announcing a mutual agreement to part ways. The decision, reached during an AIFF Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, follows a string of unconvincing performances that have left fans and officials deeply concerned about the state of Indian football.

Marquez, who took over from Igor Stimac in July 2024, managed only one victory in his eight matches in charge – a friendly against the Maldives in March. Recent defeats to Thailand (0-2) and, more worryingly, Hong Kong (0-1) in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, appear to have been the final straw.

“We are sad. The dressing room is like a funeral,” Marquez was quoted as saying after the loss to Hong Kong, expressing his disappointment with the team’s performance. “Maybe this is the reality of Indian football.”

The Spaniard’s time with the national team coincided with his role as coach of FC Goa in the Indian Super League, a dual responsibility that ended on May 31 with a Super Cup win.

The AIFF now faces the urgent task of finding a suitable replacement before India’s next international fixture against Singapore on October 9th. The pressure is on, with India having slipped to 127th in the FIFA rankings after reaching a high of 99th in July 2023. The appointment of a new coach is seen as critical to revitalizing the team and restoring confidence in Indian football.

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