Juventus' Giuseppe Marotta: Antonio Conte is definitely a top coach

Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has taken the time to praise head coach Antonio Conte, who he feels has made an impressive start to the season.

"Conte’s definitely a top manager," Marotta said in a telephone interview with Radio Uno. "Antonio had the profile of a coach that we were looking for. We were after a man with attachment to the shirt and who knows what Juventus mean, characteristics that Conte possesses and conveys to the team on a daily basis."

The 42-year-old left Siena for the Old Lady ahead of the 2011-12 campaign, and has taken his new team, who remain unbeaten after nine matches, to the top of the table. Marotta is delighted with the way Conte has started his second spell in Turin.

"He’s a great manager of the group, who knows how to work on both a psychological and motivational level," he added. "Conte has a great work ethic."

Conte made 295 league appearances for Juventus during a 12-year spell with the club, which ran from 1992 until 2004.

Juventus currently sits top of the Serie A table with 19 points from nine games. It holds a one-point lead over Lazio and Udinese.