Sackful of questions welcome Micho old flame reunion

Like two lovers desperate to prove their interrupted affection for each other just one more time, Micho Sredojevic and Uganda Cranes, or call it Fufa, are back into each other’s arms. 

This second round of the relationship is programmed until 2024, with hope that maybe - just maybe - some fruits from the romance could be enjoyed in the sweltering but air-conditioned heat of Qatar next year.

While the mystic between Micho and Uganda - the Serb having first led SC Villa to four league titles and the Cranes to their first Afcon finals in 39 years - may not be new, Qatar and World Cup would be firsts. 

It is along those lines the self-acclaimed Serbian Wolf will be speaking when he addresses the media next Tuesday after penning a three-year contract to try guide Uganda to Qatar 2022, with games starting in September. The first trip is away to Kenya, with poolmates Rwanda and Mali waiting in the wings to see who tops the group to move to the next stage.

What has changed? 
Daily Monitor reached out to Micho on what has changed since he left- that has forced him to come back, and whether his relationship with Fufa is limited to World Cup and Afcon qualification or any other developments.

“With all the respect,” he told us, “I’m under professional oath not to discuss any of that with anyone until the right time comes and then I will answer all.” 

At his time of acrimonious departure after leading Uganda to the country’s first Afcon finals in four decades in 2017, Micho was owed tens of thousands of dollars in arrears, a point that quickened his dive to Orlando Pirates. But that has since been solved, with both Fufa and the Serb confirming all arrears were cleared to zero.

Backroom staff 
With Fufa confirming Micho - whose contract is effective August 1 - will appoint his own backroom staff, it waits to be seen if he will maintain Abdallah Mubiru and Livingston Mbabazi or come with his own.

He has previously worked with local coaches as his assistants. It also waits to be seen if he will prefer full time assistants, if he goes local, or he will let them continue concurrently with club duties as has been the case.

Ugandans will also want to know the clear strategy Fufa and Micho have going forward, and whether his will be a rebuilding program or going back to the old guard. Micho has until sometime this month been coach of Zambia. The two mutually ended their relationship after poor  results.

The Serbian has also coached South African club Orlando Pirates and Egypt’s Zamalek since leaving Uganda four years ago.
He is fondly remembered in Uganda for helping end the country’s almost four-decade absence from the Nations Cup with that Gabon appearance.

Some will wonder whether Micho still has it in him to go a step better with the Cranes.
It is at Orlando Pirates, where he turned the previously struggling Buccaneers into title contenders, managing two runners-up finishes and reaching a Cup final, that he made a real impression. 

In his short stay at Zamalek he won the Egyptian Cup, while it was mostly disappointment with Zambia’s Chipolopolo.

Micho’s performances since he left Cranes

Orlando Pirates (2017-2019)

Micho sent shock waves through South African football at the end of August 2019 when he left the Soweto giants, reportedly to be with his sick mother in Serbia, only to be unveiled as the new coach of Zamalek days later. He left the Buccaneers having guided them to back-to-back runners-up finishes in the PSL and 2018 Telkom Knockout Cup final, where they lost to Baroka FC. 

With Zamalek (2019-2020)

The Serb spent only 137 days with the Egyptian giants before their volatile president Mortada Mansour called time on him. Micho came under immense pressure after defeats to ENPPI in the Egyptian Premier League and TP Mazembe in the Caf Champions League. However, it was down to more than just Micho.

Reported wage disputes had turned th dressing room into a war zone, with some players going four months without pay. Yet Micho still left some mark in his short stay. He won the Egyptian Cup during his stint and won seven of the the 12 games he was in charge of, drawing one and losing four.  Micho was the 16th manager to be sacked by controversial Mansour since he was elected in 2014.

Zambia (2020-2021)

After taking over on February 3, 2020, Micho took charge of the Chipolopolo in the Afcon qualifiers, Chan finals, and Cosafa Cup. But during his tenure, Zambia failed to qualify for the 2021 Afcon - just like Uganda. However, to be fair to him, he only had four games, with Aggrey Chiyangi having presided over and lost the first two games. With the World Cup qualifiers in September, Zambia thought they needed fresh hands to guide them through. 

Micho fact file 

Date of birth: 1 September 1969 (age 51)
Place of birth: Prokuplje, Serbia
Current team: Uganda coach 

Youth career as a player

1980–1987: Olimpija Ljubljana

Senior career

1987–1988: Svoboda Ljubljana                     
1988–1989: Sinđelić Belgrade                   

1989–1991: Grafičar Belgrade                      
1991–1993: FK Zorka Subotica                 

1993–1999: FK Pionir Subotica                    

Teams managed

1994–2000: FK Palić

2000–2001: FK Spartak Subotica

2001: Yugoslavia U20

2001: FK Hajduk Kula

2001–2004: Villa SC

2004–2006: Saint-George 

2006: Orlando Pirates

2007: Young Africans FC

2007–2010: Saint-George SA

2010–2011: Al-Hilal Omdurman

2011–2013: Rwanda

2013– July 2017: Uganda

2017–2019: Orlando Pirates

2019: Zamalek SC

2020: Zambia

August 1, 2021: Uganda

Notable honours

With SC Villa (2001-2004)

Two league titles

Kakungulu Cup

Cecafa Cup

With Al Hilal (2010-2011)

Caf Champions League semis in 2011

Caf Confederation Cup semis in 2010 

With Uganda

2015 Cecafa

Qualifying for 2017 Afcon

Coaching at 2017 Afcon

2016 Coach of the Year nominee 

With Orlando Pirates

Back-to-back runners-up finishes in the PSL and 2018 Telkom Knockout Cup final

With Zamalek

2019 Egyptian Cup titleful experience for you,” Mizumoto told the departing contingent.

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