Manolo Marquez criticises ISL clubs over early player releases as India prepare for Panama, Brazil and Uruguay friendlies

Former India head coach Manolo Marquez has criticised Indian Super League clubs for prioritising domestic fixtures over national team duties as the Blue Tigers prepare for friendlies against Panama on September 25, Brazil on October 3 and Uruguay on October 6; the Brazil match will be played at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Marquez’s comments come after only 16 of the 26 players selected reported to the national team camp in Bengaluru, which opened on September 14 ahead of the FIFA international window starting on September 21.

ISL clubs and the All India Football Federation agreed that clubs would release players to national duty on September 14, a week before the international window, but ten players — mostly from East Bengal and Mohun Bagan — had not joined the camp by that date. The AIFF appealed for early releases but clubs are legally entitled to refuse before the FIFA window begins on September 21. Marquez, who had a brief spell as India head coach, has publicly expressed concern about the absences and taken aim at clubs for favouring local competitions.

Marquez said he had experienced similar resistance from ISL clubs during his tenure, including friction around the 2024 Intercontinental Cup when clubs were reluctant to release players or accommodate an extra camp. His remarks follow the AIFF’s report that 16 of the 26 selected players are present at the Bengaluru camp while ten remain unavailable. The issue has reignited debate over the timing of club commitments and national preparations ahead of high-profile friendlies.

East Bengal FC, described in the AIFF report as the reigning champions of India and the sole Indian representative in the group stage of AFC Champions League 2, are scheduled to play Al-Hussein SC in Jordan as part of that continental campaign. East Bengal named Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta and Edmund Lalrindika among those expected to feature as they begin their AFC Champions League 2 fixtures. The report states that representing India in a continental club tournament has implications for the country’s AFC club coefficient rankings and that Marquez and other figures in Indian football expressed no concern about players gaining continental exposure.

Mohun Bagan also withheld players on September 14, selecting three of their five national-team picks in the starting XI for a Calcutta Football League match against United Sports Club at the Mohun Bagan Club Ground; Tekcham Abhishek Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad and Manvir Singh started while Apuia was on the bench. The AIFF background piece notes the CFL is a state-level competition intended to develop youth and academy players, and that Mohun Bagan’s management kept Indian players in Kolkata to participate after a Durand Cup final defeat to East Bengal. The report also records past instances in which Mohun Bagan declined to release players for the CAFA Nations League and the Unity Cup, citing timing outside the FIFA window and lack of guaranteed salary compensation under FIFA’s Club Protection Programme.

The AIFF list of players who have reported to the Bengaluru camp includes four goalkeepers — Albino Gomes, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill and Som Kumar. Defenders present are Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Bijoy Varghese, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Jay Gupta, Pramveer and Ricky Meetei Haobam. Midfielders in camp are Anirudh Thapa, Ashique Kuruniyan, Farukh Choudhary, Lalengmawia Ralte, Macarton Nickson, Mohammed Sanan, Ricky Shabong and Sahal Abdul Samad, while forwards listed are Edmund Lalrindika, Irfan Yadwad, Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Ryan Williams and Vikram Partap Singh.

India’s confirmed schedule in the forthcoming window is Panama on September 25, Brazil at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 3 and Uruguay on October 6, and the national camp in Bengaluru remains the preparation base with 16 of the 26 selected players currently present. The availability of the remaining ten players — largely associated with East Bengal and Mohun Bagan commitments — will determine the full squad available for those friendlies.