DURBAN – The sooner Micho Sredojevic comprehends that silverware - and not impressive football - is the prerequisite at Orlando Pirates, the better his chances of keeping his position on one of the country’s hottest seats.
Micho has to end the Buccaneers’ uncharacteristically long barren run and make The Ghost be the Happy People again.
Good football without trophies is like a bird without a song.
Granted, coaching Pirates comes with immense pressure and people deal with that pressure in various ways.
But Micho is hiding the fact that they are in pursuit of the league title and has been doing so since he rejoined the club for a second spell.
It is now becoming slightly tiresome.
Micho needs to be bold and come out in the open about their ambition of winning the title.
I’m not coaching him on how he should conduct his interviews. But I seriously don’t understand what there is to hide. We all know the expectations.
Last season was a bit understandable as he was still settling in and trying to rebuild the confidence in a team that had struggled before his arrival.
But the team made huge strides, moving from having had their worst ever Premiership finish (outside the top eight for the first time) to being runners up.
Luvuyo Memela in action forOrlando Pirates against Bloemfontein Celtic on Tuesday. Photo: Muzi /BackpagePix
Naturally, the next logical step is to capture the championship. Such is the reality at clubs of a stature as big as the Buccaneers’.
Pirates is a big club. And at big clubs you are judged solely by the silverware you deliver, not good football.
Yes he got away with not bringing home any trophies last season, but the pressure is on in this current one.
Winning the league will ease the pressure on the Serbian boss. Otherwise he will be in the same situation that Ruud Krol once found himself in. It took Krol three years to deliver the goods for Pirates. It was a long wait but when he did, no one could deny that it was worth it. Krol won a domestic treble in his last season (MTN8, Absa Premiership and Nedbank Cup). But he was shown the door immediately thereafter.
Yet that team went on to win back to back treble even without Krol. The Dutch legend had laid a solid foundation.
There’s no denying that Micho has made a huge difference since joining Pirates, who are now playing structured football that is pleasing to the eye.
But now, Micho needs to inspire the supporters with the message he puts out there. I don’t think he will be putting pressure on himself. But the supporters will be inspired. The log position is inspiring. The football is inspiring. Micho’s interviews also need to be inspiring. He must stop hiding. That strategy is now boring.
Micho, I know you can do better. Pirates haven’t won silverware for five years now. Something needs to happen in the next 12 months.
As I said, Pirates is a big team and big teams thrive on winning silverware.
Maybe that is why the standard of the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Pirates have dropped in the last few years. They aim low or they are afraid to come out publicly about their ambitions.
Amd perhaps this why Sundowns are dominating because they are open about their ambitions. They don’t hide. Obviously no one is forced to outline his aspirations, but come on Micho - The Ghost would live to hear you say you want to win the league.
@Minenhlecr7
The Mercury