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Former Ebbsfleet boss Daryl McMahon has been tipped as a future star of Football League management.
Matt Godden, now at Peterborough in League 1, hailed the influence of McMahon in launching his own professional career.
The striker scored 30 goals for Fleet in 2015/16 and earned a move to Stevenage that summer.
Speaking on the KM Football Podcast, he said: "Macca is one of the reasons I am where I am now, for playing me week, in week out and the way he looked after me.
"He deserves a good crack at League football when he gets the opportunity.
"I think he’ll be one of the top managers in years to come. I think it suits him better than non-league football."
Godden's breakthrough season was McMahon's first in management with Ebbsfleet fighting for the National League South title.
They missed out on the title and lost in the play-off final but were promoted 12 months later.
Godden recalled: "We were playing 4-3-3 at the time. I was stuck out wide left a lot and I didn't like it - but I did like it at the same time because we were winning every game.
"I didn't start the season really well, goalscoring wise, and I got the strop every game with Macca because he brought me off after 60 or 70 minutes but then something clicked.
"Macca changed the formation a little bit, me and Keds went up top and I scored in 10 or 11 games in a row.
"Macca's one of those managers who looks so much into it. We were still in Conference South but we had scouts going to games and we were going in with game plans.
"You know what it's like in non-league, you rock up on a Saturday and you play (but we were different).
"That's why we did so well under Macca. He's probably one of the better managers I've ever played under, the way he man-manages players and gets the best out of them.
"As much as we threw it away, if we're dead honest with ourselves, we still had an unbelievable season.
"It was the record points (for runners-up), it was like Man City and Liverpool this year.
"Sutton did us by two or three points that year but we were almost 20 points ahead of fourth."
McMahon described Godden as the best striker in non-league football towards the end of that season after he scored four goals away to Hayes & Yeading.
"He’s got everything as a player," McMahon said. "His attitude’s phenomenal every day, his movement, pace, he’s fit and a fantastic finisher.
"He’s a willing worker as well - he never stops running around.
"At the start of the season, when he wasn’t getting his goals, he still gives you everything he’s got."
The pair may have had their differences at times but discussions were always respectful.
Godden said: "I remember after a game, I had the hump because I kept getting taken off and that was the naivety coming out of me.
"But you've got to respect what your manager does. I had a chat with him and we still get on so well now. I'll always get on with Macca."
