Soccer-De Boer gives himself seven out of 10, says has Inter's backing

MILAN, Oct 29 ( Reuters) - Inter Milan coach Frank de Boer awarded himself seven out of 10 for his efforts with the Serie A side so far on Saturday and said he had the backing of the club's owners.

The Dutchman, who had never previously coached or played in Serie A, was appointed only two weeks before the start of the season and has made a slow start, losing six out of 13 competitive matches.

A 2-1 win over Torino on Wednesday has given him some respite although Inter are still only a modest tenth in the table and defeat against Sampdoria on Sunday could easily put his position back in the balance.

"I'd give myself seven out of 10 because I can look everyone in the eye. We've come a long way already and we've made great progress," he told reporters.

"Clearly there have been ups and downs but we've made great strides forward and know where we want to get to."

De Boer said he had the full support of Chinese electronic retailers Suning who own the club as well as Inter's Indonesian president Erick Thohir.

"The club's backing is always very important for a project, it allows you to relax a little," he said.

"It's not only important for the coaching staff but the players too. It's great to work in an environment like this when you feel the owners' support."

De Boer said midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, dropped after his angry reaction to being substituted against Hapoel Beer-Sheva in a Europa League match last month, had responded well since being brought back into the team.

"Brozovic reacted brilliantly and gave the best possible response. He knows he made a mistake, apologised and is now meeting our expectations," De Boer said. "He worked hard, came back into the side and is playing well." (Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Clare Fallon)