The Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) has announced that Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredejovich will be retained as the Uganda Cranes coach, despite a series of poor results.
The decision was made after a double-header against Tanzania, where the Cranes suffered a loss in Ismailia before bouncing back with a 1-0 win in Dar Es Salaam.
Ugandan football federation president, Moses Magogo, defended the decision to retain Milutin Sredojevic, popularly known as Micho, as the national team coach.
Speaking on Thursday, Magogo emphasized that the decision was not made emotionally but after careful reflection.
Magogo also dismissed claims that Uganda’s 1-0 win against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam was the turning point to keep Micho.
He asserted that the decision had been made earlier on March 18 and that Micho deserved more time to lead the team through a painful transition.
“What has made us stand the test of time is that we are not emotional when taking these decisions, if we took them emotionally, so many things could have gone wrong. We sit down, reflect before acting accordingly,” Magogo said.
“We must give Micho more time because we are undergoing a transition which is painful but one which we must undertake.”
“The team is getting better and let’s discuss his pros and cons after this campaign.”
According to Magogo, Uganda’s national team is improving under Micho’s guidance, and it would be embarrassing not to qualify for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
He urged critics to withhold their judgment until the end of the current campaign. Magogo’s statements suggest that the Ugandan football federation remains supportive of Micho despite the team’s recent struggles.
It remains to be seen whether Micho can lead Uganda to a successful AFCON campaign and prove his worth as the national team coach.
The Cranes are currently joint second with Tanzania in Group F of the ongoing AFCON Qualifiers, with two matches against Algeria (at home) and Niger (away) still to come.
Fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see if Micho can turn the team’s fortunes around in the upcoming matches.
With a strong performance against Algeria and Niger, the Cranes could still qualify for the AFCON, but time is running out, and the team will need to step up their game to secure a spot in the tournament.
