Newcastle United signed Henri Saivet during the January transfer this year, but the Frenchman has left the club on a season-long loan this summer.
Henri Saivet on the substitutes bench
Henri Saivet left Newcastle for St-Etienne on a season-long loan last month, and offered his opinion on the way that things are run at his parent club, in an exclusive interview with French football publication France Football.
The 25-year-old moved to St James’ Park from Bordeaux for an undisclosed fee in January of this year, but managed to make only two Premier League starts, and he believes there was a particular reason for his lack of first-team opportunities:
“The leaders had asked him to play the English players. It’s like that there. They even said that the Championship was for the English players, not foreigners. Because they like to play every three days, they like to fight well.”
Henri Saivet in action for Newcastle
The North East outfit seem to have abandoned their policy of signing good quality young French players and selling them on for a profit, after their failed experiment culminated in their relegation to the Championship last term.
Rafa Benitez himself explained to the club’s official website how Newcastle’s recruitment policy over the summer was centered around identifying targets with the attributes and characteristics required to succeed in England’s second tier.
Henri Saivet in action
During his interview with France Football, Saivet went on to offer his opinion on Benitez, praising the Spaniard for his work, although he did have one criticism of the former Real Madrid coach:
“Benitez is a great coach. He focuses on tactics. A little too much at times, but he is a great coach.”
After Saivet’s words, it is hard to imagine him receiving too many opportunities in the future at St James’ Park.
Henri Saivet
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