Santisteban seeks more success

Manifold honours
Santisteban, in charge of Spain's junior squad for 20 years, won the old U16 title six times – though never twice in a row – and last season, having picked up the U17 crown, stepped in to coach the U19s in their European finals in Austria and helped them become the first team to reclaim that title as holders. In keeping up his record of only missing out on one U16 or U17 finals, Spain made heavy weather of qualifying for the tournament in Turkey which begins on Sunday, but having come from two down to hold Romania 2-2 in their first Elite round game, they beat Austria and Italy 1-0 to prevail.

Problems
"Every year it's different because the whole team changes," Santisteban told uefa.com. "This year it's a mystery because it was tough for us to qualify in the Elite round in Romania, we didn't play as well as we could and we had problems winning the matches."

Tough draw
A member of the famed Real Madrid CF side of the late 1950s before his equally trophy-laded career as a youth coach, the 71-year-old Santisteban admits that this season's crop does not yet contain an obvious stand-out star like previous heroes Andrés Iniesta or, in 2007, Bojan Krkić. Moreover, their Group B draw against former champions Switzerland and France, plus the Republic of Ireland who knocked out Portugal and Germany to get here, worries the coach.

Swiss challenge
"We have always had problems with Switzerland," Santisteban said. "Historically we have always had it tough against them. Then there's also France, who we played against in the final last year and the matches against them are always heads or tails. Then there's Ireland, who were great in qualifying. They have a very strong game and lots of physical strength. "

Preparations
While football will be the focus in Antalya, Santisteban has ensured his teenage charges maintain their schoolwork both when at home and at the Spain HQ at Las Rozas near Madrid. "We have lots of difficulties because we're near exam time," Santisteban said. "Fortunately we have two teachers in the coaching staff, Ginés Meléndez and Juan Carlos Gómez, who give classes to the players in their free time. It's an advantage because before and after the training sessions they gather the kids and give them classes. Also, every weekend we travel around Spain to watch matches, we keep in touch with the club coaches and the regional national team coaches and once the players are in Madrid, we focus on the technical aspects and everything relating to tactics." It has proved a winning formula.