LISBON, July 4: Germany should consider appointing a foreign coach to replace Rudi Voeller, according to their former striker Juergen Klinsmann. "It would be no problem.

We have to go with the best coach we can find. It should be one of the options they have," Klinsmann said before the European Championship final between Portugal and Greece on Sunday.

"But, on the other hand, we have to find a manager that suits our mentality. It's important he understands the people and the football philosophy. If you come to Germany you have to understand our character and the style of football we play.

"It would be a new step for Germany. It's a great way somehow to get a new perspective, to change certain things in our (coaching) structure," added Klinsmann, who scored 47 goals in 108 internationals.

The German Football Association (DFB) executive will hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday to discuss the search for a new coach. Christoph Daum has ruled himself out, and one-time favourite Ottmar Hitzfeld, the former Bayern Munich coach, said last week that he had rejected an offer from the German football association.

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel is another candidate, and he has the backing of 38 percent of fellow Germans, according to a television survey. "I worked with him (Rehhagel) at Bayern Munich and he's somebody who really believes in confidence in the mental aspect of the game and he makes his players very strong," Klinsmann said.

"He will certainly be mentioned as one of the possible names for the national team job but I just think right now the German federation need to analyse what happened here in the tournament." -Reuters