MADRID: Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, who Real Madrid poached from Inter Milan at the end of last season, is just what the Spanish giants needed, the club's former French midfielder Zinedine Zidane said in an interview published Wednesday. “The team needed a change, of a coach with personality, a firm hand, and I think he fits that profile,” he told sports daily Marca in South Africa where he is sponsoring a youth competition. “For me Jose Mourinho was what Real Madrid needed,” he added. “I have much trust in Mourinho, as well as in the players which we have because the majority are young and they have much quality.” Zidane, 38, has been a special adviser to the chairman of Real, Florentino Perez, since June 2009. He retired from football after his fifth season with Real in 2006 and the World Cup that year. Mourinho in May replaced Chile's Manuel Pellegrini to become Real's 11th coach in the past seven years. The 47-year-old won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan last season. He also won two domestic titles with Porto, two with Chelsea and two with Inter. Big-spending Real Madrid won the last of its 31 La Liga crowns in 2008. The club was eliminated from the Champions League in the first knockout round for the sixth year last year. Mourinho ‘bitter' Mourinho, however, admitted Tuesday that he still felt “bitter” at not being able to take up the offer of coaching his native Portugal for two Euro 2012 qualifying games. Portugal had asked if Mourinho could take the reins for the next two Euro 2012 qualifiers, following the dismissal of previous coach Carlos Queiroz, only for his club Real Madrid to block the move. Mourinho, 47, said that while he could understand Real's position he would have liked to help his national team. “For two days I felt and I thought like the Portugal coach. And I liked it,” he wrote in an article published on the website of the Association of Football Coaches. “But I have to admit that Real Madrid is a giant institution, which ‘bought' me from Inter (Milan), who pay me, and who cannot run the risk faced with their shareholders and followers.” “In retrospect, it's an easy decision to understand,” said Mourinho, adding that he “still had a bitter taste at not being able to help the Seleccao”. Former Inter boss Mourinho, who last year won the second Champions League title of his career, wished new Portugal coach Paulo Bento the best. “Portugal now have a coach and he should be recognized by everyone as ‘our coach' and ‘the best',” added Mourinho. – Agence France
