Stoke City winger Marko Arnautovic has praised Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren for his help at the start of his career.
The Austrian played under McClaren in the 2008-09 campaign at FC Twente and starred for his side, notching 12 goals in 28 appearances as the club finished in second place in the Eredivisie.
Arnautovic's displays earned him a loan move to Inter Milan before making the switch to Werder Bremen, where he played for three seasons when he was then snapped up by the Potters.
However, the 26-year-old has not forgotten the role McClaren played in guiding him in the formative years of his career.
Arnautovic told the club's official website: "Steve helped me a lot and I still really appreciate it. I like him as a man and as a coach, of course," he said in the build-up to the fixture.
"He started my career really, because whilst I had already been in the first team and started a few games, I always came in and then straight out or I was on the bench.
"When he came in he gave me the opportunity to play from the start and show myself, which I needed at that time. That season we did very well. We finished second and I scored 14 goals and made 12 assists, or something like that."
Stoke face Newcastle in the Premier League at St James' Park on Saturday.
Simon Sinclair
