DURBAN - Seasoned football coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic parted with Orlando Pirates at the start of the season, but has confirmed that his sudden departure from Parktown did not put him in the bad books of club chairman of Irvin Khoza.
Sredojevic quit as the head coach of the Buccaneers to take over the reins at Egyptian powerhouse, Zamalek.
He jumped from the Buccaneers ship at a time when they were sailing smoothly and strongly as they prepared to challenge for the league honours.
The Sea Robbers finished as the league runners-up behind Mamelodi Sundowns in the past two seasons and Sredojevic was seen as the messiah who would finally overcome the dominance of Pitso Mosimane’s men. Pirates also succumbed to Baroka in the Telkom Knockout final last season.
The club was flourishing under Sredojevic’s tenure and his sudden departure came as a complete shock to the fans.
Sredojevic is currently head coach of the Zambian national team and spoke to IOL Sport about his relationship with Khoza.
“I have a perfect father-and-son relationship with Dr Irvin Khoza,” he said.
“I’m extremely happy and proud about that because all of you have a public picture of him as a football leader who is the chairman of the PSL and Pirates.
“He has gone from the lowest rank of administration to being a great football leader he is now. He has achieved everything in his career. He contributed to the World Cup coming to South Africa (in 2010) and has other achievements.
“I’m honoured and privileged to have learned from him since I met him for the first time back in 2006,” Sredojevic detailed.
The only missing piece of the puzzle for Sredojevic in his second stint with the Buccaneers was silverware.
The Sea Robbers played quality football under him.
He turned Thembinkosi Lorch from a raw talent into a superstar that won the PSL Footballer of the Season award. Marshall Munetsi left the PSL for French Ligue 1 under his tutelage.
Sredojevic said he, in fact, met with Khoza after his departure at the Inter-Club Committee in Cairo and spent several hours with him discussing football matters.
“Spending time with him has been more like a university of life for me. It has been a privilege to have spent time with a person of such magnitude and who has such a experienced managerial qualities,” he said of the meeting.
The Buccaneers struggled after the departure of Sredojevic but have since recovered under new coach Josef Zinnabuer from Germany.