Chris: a signing of things to come

"He was great around the club and in the dressing room but more importantly a fantastic leader on the pitch.

"Maybe the opportunity to manage came a bit early for him but it looks like he will grab it with both hands and good luck to him."

Coleman, 33, would still have been playing for Fulham if he had not been injured in a car crash in 2001 but he has taken to management well.

Since taking over as Fulham's caretaker manager at the end of last season the team have lost just two of nine games.

Coleman, with assistant Steve Kean, has been influenced by several people he worked under as a player but is developing his own style.

He has taken on board the value of players' opinions from Keegan after giving his former manager a few of his own over the years.

Coleman said: "He is the type of guy who can make you feel 10ft tall. That is why he is doing so well at Manchester City - he is getting the best out of his players. As a manager that is a great skill to have.

"But I was captain and I had my fair share of run-ins with him because we were both pretty headstrong when it came to football.

"He always took on board what I had to say and I could go and chat with him privately. We might disagree about tactics or other things but we would discuss it in private and we had a good relationship.

"He would let me have my say and we could agree to disagree without tea cups being thrown everywhere. It was good playing for him and I loved every minute of it.

"I have definitely taken some of what he did on board in my own management style. With the quality of some of our players and their experience I would have to be pretty stupid not to listen to them.

"It is good for me to get feedback from them. I will do things the way I think is right for the team but I take on board what they say."

One side of Keegan's management style Coleman is not adopting is his penchant for all-out attack.

After Jean Tigana's brand of attractive but sometimes ineffective football at Fulham, the Frenchman's successor is more concerned with points than presentation.

Coleman said: "Keegan is a passionate man who loves his football. He is very enthusiastic and likes all his teams to attack. If you are a fan and he is the manager of your club, you know his team will entertain-because that is how he wants them to play.

"His philosophy seems to be that if the opposition can score one we can score two and he will always be like that.

"I don't think we can be like that. We have to be harder to beat than we have been and this season we are.

"We have got good players who are not going to lose their ability to pass the ball or go past opponents but we needed to work on improving defensively as a team, not just the back four."

One way Coleman hoped to strengthen his team defensively was by signing Claudio Reyna from Sunderland before the transfer window closed.

City snatched the midfielder from their grasp at the very last moment and there is a hint of bad blood as a result.

But Coleman insists it will be business as usual tomorrow and there will be a beer waiting for Keegan at the end if he wants it.

He said: "Kevin did a lot for Fulham. He started the ball rolling for the club really and got us promotion from the Second Division before he took charge of England.

"I am looking forward to the game because Manchester City are a hot team at the minute with some great players and Keegan is an ex-Fulham manager.

"More important for us is that we are playing well and even though it will be tough it is a game we can win. Kevin and I will shake hands but I will be doing all I can to get the points off him."

City will be without Jon Macken (foot) and Danny Tiatto (knee) but have no new injuries. Neither do Fulham, although Sean Davis (knee) and Barry Hayles (ankle) are unlikely to feature.