I'm a Klinsmann fan, says Mourinho

BERLIN, Mar 14 (Reuters) Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann, under fire for poor results and his decision to keep living in the United States, has received support from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

''I am a Klinsmann fan,'' Mourinho was quoted as telling today's issue of mass-selling German daily Bild.

''I admire him for his courage. He's got a strong personality. He believes in young talent and promotes players like (Robert) Huth, (Bastian) Schweinsteiger, (Lukas) Podolski and (Philipp) Lahm. And he doesn't change his ideas just because he loses a game. That's great.'' The Portuguese coach said he regularly spoke to Klinsmann over the phone, notably to talk about Chelsea's German international defender Huth.

Klinsmann, under scrutiny since a 4-1 friendly defeat by Italy on March 1, has also faced criticism for his decision to remain based in the US instead of moving back to Germany.

In the interview, Mourinho also talked about his own future, saying: ''I will definitely coach Portugal one day.'' The 43-year-old did not rule out a job in the Bundesliga.

''I could imagine coaching Bayern Munich but they should give me a year's notice so I can learn German,'' he said.

In the first part of the interview published yesterday, the Chelsea manager, who was in Germany at the weekend, had said he would love Germany captain Michael Ballack to join the English champions.

Ballack's contract with Bayern Munich expires at the end of the season. The 29-year-old midfielder's agent has said he was very interested in a move to Chelsea.

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