Manchester United legend Andy Cole rates new Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle as having the potential to match Sir Alex Ferguson.

Cole was 36 when he joined Burnley on loan in 2008 after falling out with Roy Keane at Sunderland and he scored six goals in eight games there.

He is convinced Coyle's ability to make players "10 times better than they are" will make him a big hit at Bolton, despite the hurt of Burnley fans, who have branded Coyle a Judas for walking out after getting the club into the Premier League.

"I spent more than six years with Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Everything seemed like a step down after that," said Cole.

"Owen Coyle was different. He made players feel 10ft tall - and that included me.

"I respected him from our first meeting. He was enthusiastic, preached good football and was dead honest. He told me my role for the team and I liked that. I am different to a lot of players. If a manager is not good at his job, I might say so. But Owen Coyle was the most impressive manager I played for after Sir Alex.

"In his style, he also has a bit of Martin O'Neill - energetic, always shouting and on his toes on the touchline. He made the Burnley players 10 times better than they were. He did a great job there and I don't think anyone can begrudge him moving on to try to better himself.

"He will get Bolton to play football and they have the players there who can do that."