Racing Santander FC

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• Founded:1913
• Manager:Miguel Angel Portugal

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Cruyff issues Canales warning

19 Jan 2010 - 07:03:49

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The latest Spanish sensation Sergio Canales has been told not to leave Racing Santander too early in his career.

The 18-year-old, who is currently one of European football's hottest properties, had been a regular on Racing's substitute bench this season until making his first start for the club in last month's 4-0 win at Espanyol.

He has gone on to start this month's La Liga games against Tenerife, Sevilla and Valladolid and already has five goals to his name this term.

However, former Barcelona and Holland star Johan Cruyff said of the speculation linking Canales with a switch to Real Madrid: "I don't know if he will end up signing for Madrid or not, or for any other big club. The only thing I hope is that, being so young, he isn't ruined.

"With the youngsters at Ajax who excelled in the first team and who were the targets of big clubs outside of Holland, my advice was always the same - stay at least until you are 21, and if you stay until 23, then even better.

"First get used to the pressure of winning in your own country, and that will then stand you in good stead for playing abroad.

"At 18 years old and with only a few games in the Primera Division, joining a big club is attractive, but it carries a risk because the destination is not the youth team.

"Football is a short career, but not so short. If you have quality at 18 and you do things well, you have a mountain of years ahead of you."