How Micho passed his first test

By Fred Kaweesi

AS soon as Multin ‘Micho’ Sredojevich woke up yesterday after an eventful Saturday afternoon, he immediately dashed to his local Orthodox Christian church in Namungoona for a ‘thanks giving’ service.

The ‘holy’ service meant a lot to the Serbian, who knew how important it was that he had won his first competitive match since being appointed as Cranes head coach less than a month ago.

And although it wasn’t a pretty performance as the over 30,000 fans that attended the Group J fixture would have wanted, he was pleased with the result considering that not many believed he was the right man for the job.

Of course that is not to say he has passed the test and is the best. You can never turn out to be the best just overnight.

But what Micho succeeded in doing on Saturday, was defy a few of his critics in 6 different areas in a game won by Tony Mawejje’s well-taken strike on four minutes. 

Independent mind and courage

To start with, if there was anything to take from Micho’s first competitive eleven that were rolled out against the Liberians, it was that this is a man that decides on who starts and who doesn’t.

While a majority expected Abbey Dhaira to start in goal as replacement for the suspended Denis Onyango, Micho thought otherwise.

He advised that Robert Odongkara, who had not played for the national side since his disastrous CECAFA Challenge Cup in 2009 starts ahead of Dhaira because he had been involved in more competitive club games and looked sharper in training.

Dhaira’s shaky display in the 3-0 defeat to Libya had not helped matters either.

Micho also had the courage to start with Isaac Isinde as Andrew Mwesigwa’s central defensive partner instead of Henry Kalungi, who had served in the same position for the last couple of qualifiers.

Although Isinde struggled, to a large extent it had to do with the gangly size and underhand elbowing tactics of Liberia’s towering striker Patrick Wreh. 

He attempted to bully the tiny defender but Isinde stood his ground. He read the game well and the highlight was when he cleared away after Mwesigwa had lost his man and possession of the ball in the dying stages of the game.

Goalscoring midfielders

How about Mawejje’s goal? If the assist from Emmanuel Okwi was brilliant, Mawejje’s finish was superb. It was a rare Cranes goal that started from deep into their half.

When left-back Godfrey Walusimbi found Okwi, there seemed to be no danger.

Mawejje is not renowned for his goal-scoring feats by he popped up to score the decisive goal. Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo.

But Mawejje’s darting run forward, presented Okwi with that hole for that final through pass that beat the entire Liberian defence against the run of play before stroking it past hapless Liberia goalkeeper Sherman Nathaniel.

Micho’s new ideology is to expand Cranes goal scoring threat by encouraging midfielders to get into scoring positions rather than restrict the assignment to the two strikers or from set-pieces.

Belief in two strikers 

While his predecessors Laszlo Csaba and occasionally Bobby Williamson relied on that lone striker or three respectively for goals, Micho’s game plans highlight two centre forwards.

He chose to start with Geoffrey Massa and Okwi upfront and even when Okwi seemed to have lost his legs, stuck with him deep into the second half before again brining on another striker in Daniel Sserunkuuma to partner Massa in attack.

Paying attention to detail 

But his decisions also depend on the homework he does preparing for any game.

In the run-up to the Liberia match, Micho spent all mornings taking his charges through video footage of the opposition —highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.

After closely watching video footage of the game Cranes lost in Monrovia, he was in position to design a strategy where his side would stifle their opponents’ game — especially in the central midfield — and prevent individuals from expressing themselves.

Coming into Saturday’s game, Liberia had clearly reckoned that the way to unsettle Cranes was to be aggressive in midfield.

Micho consequently chose to play through the middle, with a four-man central midfield of Hassan Wasswa, Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito, Mawejje and Luwagga.

The four reasonably stifled Liberia’s playmaker and although Oliseh Sekou Jabateh and captain Anthony Laffor, occasionally escaped their markers, they weren’t able to cause any serious threat.

Why Luwagga started 

This takes us to the reason why Luwagga Kizito started ahead of Moses Oloya. There were concerns over Oloya’s form and fitness.

Luwagga was deployed in a unfamiliar role and struggled to impose himself on the game. Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo

Micho wasn’t pleased with his display in Tripoli but the main reason as to why Luwagga started on the right of midfield was to offer a counterbalance that Oloya wouldn’t —and that was to take care of Liberia’s dangerous left-back Ansu Toure while protecting the vulnerable Iguma at right back.

Unfortunately, Luwagga froze and more often than not Ansu found himself in direct confrontation with Iguma.

If Cranes are going to trouble Angola, it will be important that Oloya starts as he has proved to be the key in releasing strikers Okwi and Massa with his penetrating runs.

Using Mutumba well

When Martin Mutumba was recalled to the team, Micho was briefed that the Sweden based midfielder’s previous appearance against Senegal had been a nightmare and that the fans had lost faith in the midfielder.

He chose to start Mutumba on the bench, with a plan of only bringing him on after the game had settled. 

The trick seemed to work and the reception was equally good.