Micho hails influence of Pirates chairman after unveiling

KAMPALA.

For long, former Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic described Uganda as his second home having first coached at SC Villa when he set foot on the continent in 2001.
But as he ended his four-year relationship with the Cranes last weekend, Micho also described Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza as his “best friend” in African football.
The Serbian yesterday went a step further by revealing a call from the 69 year old influenced his decision to return for a second stint at the South African club he previously coached in 2006.
"I got a call that was hard to resist‚" Sredojevic said in his opening statement. A call from my father. Irvin Khoza is a hard man to resist," the 47 year old Serbian is quoted having said after his unveiling.
The statement is likely to give more credence to the theory that Micho’s head was turned by a more lucrative offer of a reported US$50,000 (Shs180m) per month rather than his unpaid dues with Cranes.
The former Rwandan national team coach was reportedly earning US$10, 000 (Shs36m) with the Cranes.
“When he [Micho] left [in 2006], he left graciously. Now, he comes back with a great record and experiences throughout the continent,” Khoza said of Micho.
In his previous spell in Soweto, the coach left a record of six wins‚ nine draws and eight defeats in 23 matches and led the club to the Caf Champions League semifinals‚ where they narrowly lost to CS Sfaxien of Tunisia.
He replaces Swede Kjell Jonevret who resigned on Wednesday after less than seven months in the job following Pirates’ 11th place league finish last season. This was the first time the club failed to finish inside the top eight since 1996.

MICHO'S PREVIOUS RECORD AT PIRATES
23 games: 6 wins‚ 9 draws, 8 defeats