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Coloccini 'Excited' By Benitez Appointment
Written by Newcastle Utd
Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini has spoken to nufc.co.uk about the appointment of new manager Rafa Benitez
By Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor
Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini has admitted that the appointment of Rafa Benitez as the Club's new manager is "exciting" for the United players.
And the Argentine believes that Benitez, who replaced former head coach Steve McClaren on Friday, is a "great manager" who could lead the Magpies into a bright new era - as long as they avoid relegation from the top flight this season.
Benitez will be in the dugout for the first time at Leicester City on Monday night and has ten games to steer Newcastle to safety.
The 55-year-old Spaniard is the only manager in history to have won the Champions League, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup and is more used to challenging for silverware than battling the drop.
But he has extensive experience of the Premier League from his time with Liverpool and Chelsea and Coloccini is confident that Benitez can help United to stay up.
"We had good people here - the staff who were here, all of them were good people, so it is a strange emotion," the skipper told nufc.co.uk.
"But when things are going wrong, you have to change something and the Club made the decision.
"Now we have a great manager who has won a lot of things, who has a lot of experience, who has been in charge of very big teams like Real Madrid and Inter Milan, so I think he will help us.
"I think his career speaks for itself. It's exciting for us, and for the younger players as well because they can learn a lot from him.
"Hopefully we can understand the way he wants to play and try to win games, because the aim is to be in the Premier League next season."
Coloccini has missed United's last two matches through injury but added: "The next ten games will be massive because if we stay in the Premier League like we want to do, I think next season, with a manager with such big experience, it will be good.
"But first we need to think about this season and try to win the points that we need to be in the Premier League next season."