Henri Saivet rates Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez as a superb coach, though he admits sometimes the Spaniard overloads things on the tactical information front.
The Senegal international midfielder was at St. James' Park when Benitez arrived on his rescue mission towards the end of last season.
The former Real Madrid boss could not keep the Magpies in the Premier League, but is now plotting their return in the Championship.
Saivet meanwhile is back in France on a loan deal with Saint-Etienne, but he has seen enough of Benitez to know he is a superb manager.
"Benitez is a great coach", he told France Football.
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"He does a lot with tactics. A little too much sometimes, but he is a great coach.
"When he arrived, the group was lost, not confident and there were ten matches left. It was complicated for him", Saivet added.
The midfielder also indicated that the club's decision-makers want Benitez to play English players in the Championship as they feel they understand the demands of the division.
Saivet though thinks that foreign players can give what is needed in the cut and thrust of the second tier, if they are backed to do so.
"The board have asked him to play the English.
"It's like that there.
"They even said that the Championship was for the English, not foreigners, because they [the English] like to play every three days, they like to fight.
"We, if we are given confidence, could have done that."
The former Bordeaux man, who was signed by Newcastle in the winter transfer window this year, could yet return to St. James' Park as he has a contract running for a further five years at the club.
