Gines Melendez one of the titled coaches of Europe is in Spanish delegation in Elite-round of European U-17 championship, which is underway in Tbilisi.”World Sport” managed to take an exclusive interview with 7-time champions of Europe, who is at the age of 62 now. But before providing his interview, there is information about his achievements as a coach:

European champion: U16 - 2002; U17 - 2007, 2008; U19 - 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011;

European Vice-champion: U17 - 2003, 2004, 2010;

World Vice-Champion: U17 - 2003, 2007; U20 - 2003;

World bronze prize-winner: U17 - 2009.

- Don Gines, we wander your opinion about group stage of the current elite-round, which is underway in Tbilisi?

- I have already attended 11 such tournaments and to my mind there is the best organized tournament in Tbilisi. There are perfect playing and training stadium- lawn is in the best condition. We live at very nice hotel. In a word, there are perfect conditions for playing.

- You are chief of education of coaches in Spanish federation and your first visit in Georgia connects to it.

- Yes it was in 2009, when I attended one of the seminars of training coaches. I remember, that these courses were to give license A, I agreed with UEFA to participate in it then, because my friend Gaioz Darsadze was chief of education of coaches in Georgia. In Spain, if coach does not have PRO license, does not have right to work in Primera division, as well as in the first and the second leagues. No matter how successful football player he was in the past, if he does not have any relevant education he will not be able to work with any professional club. It is one of the reasons of success of Spanish football. I have worked for it for 11 years and I play my role in success of Spanish football.

- What about your career before starting to work in federation?

- I was head coach of U-16 team. Before it, I had been a chief of coach training in Castilla-La Mancha for 17 years.

- Don Gines, you have created a very successful coach career while working in several age category teams of Spain. Which one is the most remarkable title for you?

- The most remarkable title is European championship won by U-19 team, it was the seventh medal for me. However, these memories are accompanied by a sad moment for me- I retired and now I am technical director in Spanish football federation.

- Is there any football player in Spanish national team, who did not win European championship with under your coaching?

- Only Capdevilla and Marchena were not in the team during my coaching. 10 players from the main staff 11players in the final match of European championship 2008, won gold medal. As for the 23 players who won 2010 European championship, 19 players grew up under my coaching.

- Georgia and Spain are in the qualifying group of World Championship 2014. What about chances of Spanish and Georgian national team?

- To my mind Spain will go through this group, for it our team has to win all the matches. As for Georgia, very difficult matches are ahead it.

- What about tomorrow’s matches of Georgia against U-17 Ukrainian national team?

- Everything is on the contrary in this case. Your team has more chances to go through the final stage of European championship. Beat Ukraine and you won’t be depended on other thing.  It is the best chance for starting progress of Georgian football. Believe my experience, playing at final stage of European championship gives big stimulus to a player and he will be appraised if he continues his career.

- Who was you favorite soccer player among those players who grew up under your choaching?

- It is too difficult to name only one player. Iniesta, Xavi, Sillva, Pique, Fabregas, Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Casillas and so on are my favorites. But among them the best pupil was Xavi.

- Do you think that Xavi had to be named as the player of the planet in 2010.

- Messi won this title, but Xavi deserved “Golden Ball”. I will open one secret, if Messi agreed with my offer, he would play in my team too.

- Did you participate in negotiations with Messi’s family?

- Alex Garsia former head coach of ‘Dinamo” Tbilis was head coach of age team of “Barcelona” then and he was negotiating with Spanish football federation. Unfortunately, Messi’s family refused Messi to represent our country.

- What is your favorite club among Spanish clubs and which club will become champion this year?

- Since childhood I used to be a fan of “Real” Madrid. But now “Real” as well as “Barcelona” are very valuable for me, because there are a lot of my pupils in both clubs.

As for La Liga, as far as you know “Real” has 6-point superiority and a lot of thing will be found out at the next weekend.

- And finally, you contributed too much in coach educations and also have a perfect intuition- how do you think, who is the best coach in Spain and in the world?

- Guardiola, Del Bosque and Pochettino are the best in Spian. Maurihno is the best in the World.

Phridon Kervalishvili