Former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jose Francisco Molina, who last month coached Atletico de Kolkata to the Indian Super League title, says he does not see himself as the successor to Diego Simeone at the Vicente Calderon.
Molina has experience coaching in La Liga with Villarreal, won the Hong Kong Treble with Kitchee SC in 2015, and guided Kolkata to a penalty shootout victory over Kerala Blasters in last season's Indian Super League final.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
The Cup returns to Mecca of Indian Football, the place where it belongs.#ATK #KERvATK #AamarBukeyATK #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/LA3vqrEPrI- Atlético de Kolkata (@atletidekolkata) December 18, 2016
This has put Molina, who won the La Liga and Copa del Rey with Atletico as a player in 1996, into the frame as a potential replacement for former teammate Simeone, whose current contract ends in June 2018 and who has been linked with a number of jobs across Europe.
Asked by AS about potentially succeeding the Argentine at the Vicente Calderon, Molina said he would be delighted to take the job but thought it unlikely he would get the opportunity.
"I don't see myself as Simeone's replacement," Molina said. "I don't have the CV as a coach that they would want. But of course I would love to coach Atleti. It would be a pleasure, I'd be proud to do it."
Kolkata have won two of the three Indian Super League titles played to date, with another Spaniard with links to Atletico, Antonio Lopez Habas, having been in charge for their first success.
"I went there because Atletico Madrid were behind them," Molina said. "It would not be the same to go there alone. I had an offer to manage another team there [in India], but during a meal with ex-footballers and Atletico friends they told me that if I was interested, I should speak to Kolkata. That's how I joined the Indian franchise."
Molina said that the close links had made Atletico much better known to the general population in India.
"The club owners are Indians, but Atletico run the sporting side," he said. "From the successes Atletico have had in Spain and Europe, and for their adventure there, the Spanish club is much more known there."
While cricket remains by far the most popular sport in India, Molina said that Kolkata games generated impressive interest.
"The average attendance at Atletico de Kolkata home games in previous seasons was around 50,000 fans," he said. "But this year they are rebuilding the stadium for the Under-17 World Cup and we played in a smaller ground with 15,000 fans.
"The final we played against Kerala Blasters, in their stadium, and there were 55,000 spectators. And it was watched on TV by 40 million people."