MICHO STILL WANTS

MICHO Sredojevic admits it is hard to explain why his Orlando Pirates’ troops have to be on the back foot before they can respond to the demands of the game. On Tuesday Pirates ascended to the summit of the PSL standings courtesy of a come-from-behind 1-1 draw against Bloemfontein Celtic – Tshepo Rikhotso got Celtic’s lead, before parity was restored by substitute Luvuyo Memela. “In every single match we were falling behind, we had a moment where it appeared something is injecting, and we are reacting to it. But it is something that is hard to explain,” Sredojevic admitted. “But we really need to get into the best possible analysis (of what causes that). We have players and a technical team able to challenge and address that problem. In the matches ahead of us, we’ll have a light in our heads that will tell us, ‘let us start every game as if we are a goal down’.”

The Serbian tactician understands they need to develop a winning momentum if they are to end a four-year barren run, but also that they should consider the human effect in the players.

“This is not PlayStation, where you plan to reserve your energy in the first half for the second. Players are human beings with senses, feelings and emotions,” he said. “Looking at the way they are turned on before the match, you know they’ll give you everything, but football is an unpredictable game.”

Time is Sredojevic’s enemy at Pirates. In his two-year stint since he’s returned to the club, he’s yet to deliver silverware.

Sure, he’s amassed a sense of confidence and belief to the team he found with their heads dropped after enduring their worse finish on the log standings (11th), but he’s well aware that beautiful football with nothing to show for it doesn’t impress the Bucs’ faithful. Up for grabs though, there’s still the domestic league and Caf Champions League, where they are third in group B and trail log leaders and defending champions Esperance by three points.

The Soweto giants, who have turned their focus to continental football, will welcome Zimbabwean outfit FC Platinum, whom they played to a 0-0 in the first leg away, tomorrow at Orlando in a group stage match, and a win will push them closer to the knockout stages. |