Sam Allardyce believes Robbie Keane has the personalty to lift the Leeds United dressing room after including the Irishman in his backroom staff.
New boss Allardyce - who replaces the sacked Javi Gracia - remains hopeful of making an impact in the fight for Premier League survival.
And he says Republic of Ireland record goalscorer Keane, who had a spell at Elland Road in the early noughties, can play a big part in helping them to beat the drop.
Former MK Dons, Charlton and Oxford boss Karl Robinson will be Allardyce's assistant.
Keane has previously had coaching roles with Ireland, under Mick McCarthy, and at Middlesbrough where he assisted another ex-Leeds man Jonathan Woodgate.
"Trying to shut him up is the first thing!" Allardyce joked when asked about Keane's potential impact.
"He never stops talking. I've known Robbie for quite a while. We've talked on many occasion about him getting into coaching. I worked with him at Soccer Aid a few times and all that. I really liked his personality.
"He was in my mind to come in and give everyone a lift, not just by his coaching... but also the fact that he's Leeds through and through isn't he? Loves the place."
Allardyce also claimed he's as good a manager as Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta.
The 68-year-old, who was relegated from the top flight for the first time in his 30-year managerial career in his last job at West Brom two years ago, said: "Far too many people think that I am old and antiquated, which is far from the truth.
"I might be 68 and old, but there's nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta.
"It's all there with me. They do what they do, I do what I do. In terms of knowledge and depth of knowledge, I'm up there with them. I'm not saying I'm better than them, but certainly as good as they are."
Former Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton boss Allardyce takes charge of his first game for Leeds at Guardiola's title-chasing Manchester City on Saturday.
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