OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD AT PIRATES

MILUTIN “Micho” Sredojevic, with his chest out and a booming voice that filled the room, spoke with confidence about what he believes will help him see out his three-year contract as Orlando Pirates coach.

The Serbian has returned for a second stint at Pirates to replace Kjell Jonevret, who resigned from the post just over five months into it.

The Swede joined a long list of coaches who have failed to see out their contracts at the Buccaneers since Sredojevic’s own short stint that lasted less than a year back in 2006. born.

“I come from Yugoslavia

(now in the part called Serbia) where we have seen and felt everything.”

Sredojevic continued, “We don’t feel pressure.

“I feel extremely responsible towards the chairman (Irvin Khoza), the club and the supporters.

“But I don’t feel pressure. “I can’t guarantee anything or make major promises. I can only promise to give sweat, blood and tears. To give my all.

“Then we will see how football will pay us back. Judging how football has paid me back since I left South Africa, I am confident that the same formula will pay me back here.”

Sredojevic has achieved a lot on the continent since leaving Pirates after taking them to the semi-finals of the 2006 CAF Champions League.

“Micho” won four league titles, took Uganda to their first Africa Cup of Nations appearance in 39 years, received four Coach-of-the-Year accolades and took Al-Hilal of Sudan to the semi-finals of the 2011 Champions League.

It’s this pedigree on the continent that made Khoza bring the Serbian back to steer the

Sea Robbers’ ship that has hit rock bottom.

“I have made my name a brand name on the continent,” Sredojevic said. “If you don’t know what this means, then I invite you to come with me to any of the countries where I have coached to see what I mean to the people.”

Sredojevic means a lot to Khoza.

The Pirates chairman revealed that the Serbian is the man he wanted to hire earlier this year to take over from Augusto Palacios, who served in the interim from November to February after Muhsin Ertugral’s sudden departure.

But Khoza was put-off by the buy-out clause the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) placed on Sredojevic before the coach officially resigned on Saturday.

Sredojevic will now sit down with Khoza to pick his technical team and then name a new captain seeing as Oupa Manyisa will join Mamelodi Sundowns in a swap deal. BACK FOR A SECOND SHOT: After officially leaving the Uganda job on Saturday, former Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic is back at the Buccaneers, with the Serbian replacing Kjell Jonevret, who resigned from the post just over five months into it.