Micho's first assignment as new Zambia coach

AFRICAN FOOTBALL

KAMPALA - Ugandan football fans hold fond memories of Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic.

In 2016, the Serbian tactician famously guided Uganda to a first Africa Cup of Nations finals in nearly four decades, quenching the thirst of a nation that had long yearned to return to a tournament they had last been a part of in 1978.

The Cranes have not turned back since that refreshing September four years ago, managing to also qualify for the subsequent 2019 edition.

Fast-forward to present day and 50-year-old Micho, as he is fondly called, continues to spread his experienced tentacles across the continent.

Two months after leaving Egyptian side Zamalek by a mutual understanding, Micho is back in employment. He has been appointed the head coach of Zambia's national football team.

And his first task is pretty much cut out for him.

The former Uganda Cranes boss will have to muster a way of lifting a deflated Chipolopolo side off the foot of Group H of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Micho started off on the continent at SC Villa

It has been a lacklustre start for the 2012 Nations Cup winners in their quest to qualify for Africa's biggest footballing stage. They started off by crumbling to a humbling 5-0 in Algeria and then 2-1 at home to Zimbabwe.

This is where Micho comes in. His first competitive games at the helm will be a double header against Botswana in the qualifiers.

Also on Micho's in-tray is an assignment that will task him with steering Zambia to a first ever World Cup. To come close to achieving this, the Chipolopolo will first have to come out on top in a group that features Tunisia, Mauritania and Equatorial Guinea.

If they win the group, Zambia will qualify for the play-offs.

Micho's move to the southern African nation completes his third national team stint on the continent, having previously coached Uganda - as mentioned already - and Rwanda.

Before coaching national teams, he kicked off his coaching life in Africa in 2001 at Ugandan club SC Villa.

The other clubs he has coached are Ethiopia's Saint George SC, South Africa's Orlando Pirates, Tanzania's Yanga and Sudan's Al Hilal.