Jose Mourinho wants Palermo coach Walter Zenga to be his successor at Inter Milan and claims they are similar characters.

The Portuguese revealed his respect for Zenga ahead of tomorrow's Serie A clash between the two sides at the San Siro.

Former Italy goalkeeper Zenga, who took over from Davide Ballardini in the summer, has guided Palermo to fourth place in the table and they look capable of launching a surprise challenge for a Champions League place.

Zenga spent 12 years at Inter as a player and Mourinho believes he has what it takes to be coach at the San Siro as well.

"He's good, he thinks about the game like me and he studies his opponents very well," said Mourinho. "Could he be my heir? These are decisions for the club, but I would really like him to be.

"We are friends, probably because we have in common two friends who are two great friends of mine and his, and this may have created an empathy. Whoever is a friend of a great friend of mine is, in turn, a great friend of mine. The same goes for my enemies. This is my philosophy.

"Also, Walter is a bit like me. He has been around the world and thanks to his work he has shown that he is a good coach. He doesn't worry about his image and he always defends his players.

"He will be playing at the Meazza - his home, and I was motivated to do better when the same thing happened to me."

He then joked: "The main thing is that he doesn't win tomorrow, otherwise he can never become the coach of Inter in the future."

Inter go into the game on the back of a 2-1 win over Catania, their seventh success in nine games this season.

The visitors, though, have won their last three matches and are unbeaten in five.

And Mourinho is expecting a tough match against a team who are yet to lose by more than a single goal this season.

The former Chelsea boss said: "We are prepared for everything because we don't know how Palermo will play. It's difficult for me, but it will also be difficult for them to understand how Inter will play."

Inter have just one injury concern - midfielder Wesley Sneijder - but Thiago Motta and Diego Milito are both ready to return.

Mourinho added: "Wesley is the only injured player; all the others are fine and they have trained."

"(Motta and Milito) are fine, they have trained with the squad this week, and they can play against Palermo."

Zenga knows his team will have their work cut out against the reigning champions, but is not giving up hope of an upset.

He said: "Mourinho's squad has an extraordinary potential. We have the greatest respect for the Nerazzurri, but we have all the qualities to play a great game."