Former Wigan Athletic midfielder Jimmy Bullard has claimed that Rafael Benitez will find life hard in the Championship next season.
Benitez began the calendar year in charge of Real Madrid, but ended the season at Newcastle United and was unable to prevent the Magpies from suffering relegation from the Premier League.
Despite that, he has chosen to stay on at St James' Park, but Bullard believes that the Spaniard could struggle in the second tier of English football.
"I've got to say, I've been in the Championship probably more than the Premier League and it's a tough, tough league," he told the Daily Star.
"What he'll find is it's a grind. And it's a lot of games as well. There's more international players in the Championship than there ever has been. So he's going to need a bigger squad than what he's used to."
Benitez will be one of two Champions League-winning managers in the Championship next season, alongside Aston Villa's Roberto Di Matteo.
Barney Corkhill
