Cagliari's Allegri beats Mourinho to coach award

Cagliari boss Massimiliano Allegri, 42, was handed Italy's "Golden Bench" award yesterday after his peers voted him Serie A coach of the year ahead of Inter manager Jose Mourinho. "I am happy for this recognition, I don't feel it was a duel with Mourinho.

Cagliari boss Massimiliano Allegri, 42, was handed Italy's "Golden Bench" award yesterday after his peers voted him Serie A coach of the year ahead of Inter manager Jose Mourinho.

"I am happy for this recognition, I don't feel it was a duel with Mourinho. I'm not happy because I beat him but because great coaches have voted for me," Allegri, who guided his modest team to ninth last season, told a ceremony.

Outspoken Mourinho, who won the league in his first season at Inter last term, has repeatedly clashed with fellow Serie A coaches.

The award caps a remarkable year for Allegri, especially after he started his tenure in Sardinia with five straight defeats. He eventually turned things around and is now routinely linked with the top jobs.

Antonio Conte won the Panchina D'Argento for inspiring Bari to promotion from Serie B last year while Pierpaolo Bisoli, the Cesena boss, was awarded the Lega Pro Panchina d'Oro for getting his side into the Serie B.

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