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UNDER 17 CHAMPIONSHIP: Bojan lifts Santisteban's Spain

/noticias.info/ by Paul Saffer

Juan Santisteban's record as Spain youth coach speaks for itself. In the former UEFA European Under-16 Championship alone he led sides to six triumphs, the most times any nation has won any UEFA competition.

Swiss rematch
His primary role is now as U17 coach. Last season he led a hugely talented Spain team to third place at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship. Indeed, since taking over in 1988 only once has he failed to ensure qualification for the junior UEFA tournament - in 2005, when Spain went out unbeaten on goal difference behind Switzerland in the Elite round. That result has not been forgotten by Santisteban, who won four European Champion Clubs' Cups as a player for the famed Real Madrid CF team of the 1950s, as in 2006/07 Elite round Group 7 Spain have been drawn against Poland, Sweden - and Switzerland.

'Difficult group'
"We have a very strong group," Santisteban, whose nation will stage the mini-tournament from 26-31 March, told uefa.com. "Switzerland knocked us out two years ago, the first time we did not reach the finals. Sweden always have strong national teams. In my opinion it is a very difficult group."

Tournament success
Spain have not won the U17 title since the switch from U16 classification in 2001/02, but the omens are good should they make it to May's finals. In October, Santisteban took his squad to Belgium for the annual warm-up tournament including the three seeds excused the qualifying round - Spain, England and Portugal - and Belgium, the finals hosts. Spain stormed to victory, beating England 3-2, Belgium 6-1 and Portugal 3-1, and Santisteban was delighted with the opportunity to see some of the venues and facilities for the finals.

"It's one of the best places we've been, the venues, the facilities, the hotel, the pitches - it was like paradise for us"
Juan Santisteban on Belgium

Belgian praise
"It's a good idea to have a tournament for the seeds and the host country," he said. "For us it was a good warm-up, otherwise it would be very difficult to arrange this sort of tournament before the Elite round." So what did he think of the venues at Eupen and Verviers? "Phenomenal in every way," Santisteban replied. "It's one of the best places we've been, the venues, the facilities, the hotel, the pitches - it was like paradise for us. I've been to a lot of countries, and they were some of the best facilities I have seen."

Bojan strikes again
Another plus point from the warm-up tournament was the continued superb form of Bojan Krkić. Aged only 15 in last season's finals in Luxembourg, Bojan finished joint top scorer with five goals despite not starting any of the four matches in which he registered. Prolific at youth level for FC Barcelona – averaging 3.5 goals per game and well over 100 a season - and the son of the FK Crvena Zvezda player of the same name, he was in the Spain team in Belgium and managed three goals, including two against England, one a superb solo effort. Santisteban has no doubts about the youngster's talents.

"Bojan is only 16, he deserved to play in another finals and he is one of the best players we have had in recent years"
Juan Santisteban

Rare praise
He said: "Bojan is only 16, he deserved to play in another finals and he is one of the best players we have had in recent years. He'll be one of the best in Europe. I've never seen such quality and imagination in a player. We can expect a lot from him." Some praise from a man who helped bring through the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres in recent years. notas_de_prensa_archivo