Coventry City take on Newcastle tonight for a place in the Carling Cup's third round, and Coleman is upbeat about his side's chances of an upset.

However, Coleman – Keegan's first signing after he took charge at Fulham in 1998 – knows first-hand just how good a manager his old boss is from his days in the Craven Cottage dressing room.

"It is nice to see Kevin back in football, and he's certainly the right man for the job up there," said Coleman. "He's Newcastle through and through after his first spell in charge.

"He's a very good man-manager, and pretty much leaves the coaching to other people and deals with the players.

"He plays attacking football, is very good with players on a one-to-one situation, and is very charismatic.

"His strength was getting the best out of individuals and he is doing it all over again at Newcastle.

"When he took over, they didn't win the first eight games, and he turned it round, and they have had a good positive start."

Coleman is just as wary of United striker Michael Owen, who made a goalscoring comeback in Saturday's 1-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers.

He added: "I think Kevin's the best man to manage Michael Owen.

"Kevin, having been a striker himself, will get the best out of him, and treat him the way he needs to be treated. It's pointless having a big stick and treating everyone the same.

"Michael spent all those years at Liverpool scoring all those goals in a very good team. He moved to Real Madrid and scored goals, and had to come back to Newcastle.

"Since he's been there, there's been a lot of negativity surrounding the club. There have been changes of manager, changes of chairman and squad.

"He's had a lot of injury problems, but pound for pound, there is no-one better than Michael Owen.

"And I think Kevin is the type of manager who will settle him down and get him playing the right way, and making him feel like he has got a massive input on Newcastle United.

"As we have seen, he's been bringing him on as substitute and asking him if he is ready rather than telling him, so I would think his man management will be very important in that relationship."