Bonvini accepts minnow status

Ronny Bonvini has been given a chance few coaches will ever receive - to lead a national team in their country's first appearance in any UEFA finals. As coach of hosts Luxembourg in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship, Bonvini will do just that.

Tough draw
Luxembourg has never qualified for a European final round at any level, but thanks to their automatic entry for staging the U17s, on 3 May they will play Spain in Group A in Hesperange, before further fixtures against Hungary and Russia. Bonvini is realistic about Luxembourg's chances, particularly considering their tough draw.

'We are the minnows'
"I have to say that we are the minnows," Bonvini told uefa.com. "You have to remember that we have never managed to get through a group. However, my team has now been together for a year and I am really looking forward to seeing how they will do. Regarding our opponents: I think you don't have to say anything about Spain, they are the big favourites. Also Hungary are very strong, they qualified in Portugal. The Russians are even my secret favourites. They are technically strong and good at one-touch football. For us that match is the most difficult because it is our third game within six days. We need discipline and organisation to keep going and I hope against Russia there will be enough strength for this."

Talent
What Luxembourg also have is a fine crop of talent, a tribute to their flourishing football school, as draws this year with France and Belgium prove. "This will be of course a highlight for all the lads. But this is also just a station on our way and after the European Championship it has to go on," Bonvini said. "In three or four years I want to see half a dozen in the national team.

Foreign chance
"The best chances of this are for the two boys who have managed to go abroad: Gilles Bettmer from SC Freiburg and Miralem Pjanic from FC Metz. We are only amateurs in Luxembourg. This means that we have to educate the players until they are 16, 17 and then we want them to move abroad. This is a tough ask but Matthew de Cae and Pit Hilbert I think can do it. The tournament is the perfect stage to be seen and that players have to benefit from it."

'Respect'
The future, indeed, is always on the mind in these youth tournaments, and perhaps this could be a real launching pad for Luxembourg football to lose their reputation as easy opponents. "Everyone in football is smiling at Luxembourg," he said. "We are seen as a sparring partner, such as when the full German team asked for a final friendly before the FIFA World Cup, and I want to change this. My aim is to ensure together with the team that we get more respect.

Pressure on
"To get to the semi-finals would be utopian, you can tell this comparing the number of inhabitants of Luxembourg and Spain. They have so many resources. But we have a good team and a few months ago we drew against France, and against England we lost unluckily. My team can also handle the pressure as I put pressure on them all the time. Only those who are good at school and on the pitch can play for us. We are happy with our 'David' role, maybe we will be underestimated. When you are honest you have to say that we have no chance, but we want to take it!"