SPORT PILGRIM with GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA
SERBIAN tactician Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic has continued preaching positive messages for the Zambia national team as he looks to revive the drowning ‘Chipolopolo Boys’.
But even as he tries to revive a sense of hope in Zambians, he has ensured not to sugarcoat but to be honest in the best way possible.
Just like American statesman Thomas Jefferson once said “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
Since taking over the Chipolopolo coaching job on February 3, he has rolled out a master plan than could see Zambia qualify to the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
Micho, in an interview on Diamond Television categorically stated the need to wake up from the 2012 AfCON glory.
The Serb also reiterated on the need to have a balance between the old guns as well as the new generation of players if Zambia is to get back to its glory days.
Micho seems to be the “Messiah” we have been seeking in the past years. His visionary and futuristic attitude might be the block that has been missing in the glory puzzle.
Zambia has been living in the 2012 glory without forging ahead. The biggest problem as always been our inability to fuse in young blood into the Chipolopolo set up.
In times when we have tried to bring in fresh blood, experience has been chased away leaving the team without leadership.
The Chipolopolo gaffer’s call to bring together both generation of players will surely aid the team to have both experience and hunger for glory.
Players such as Stophila Sunzu, Kennedy Mweene, Rainford Kalaba, Evans Kangwa and Nathan Sinkala who were part of the 2012 golden generation can still contribute massively to the team. These players are active and most feature regularly at their clubs.
Bringing together the experienced players and the young stars such as Fashion Sakala, Enock Mwepu and Patson Daka among others can be a deadly combination that can maim any team on earth.
Young players are motivated, they want to achieve while the senior players have seen it all and are able to deal with any situation when the chips are down.
Most of the coaches we have had in the recent past have failed to blend both world’s but Micho looks to be the man. Micho’s positivity about Zambia’s ability to make a debut appearance at the World Cup in 2022 is exemplary. He is not being rhetorical but practical looking at the way he has put together experience and fresh blood with the local players. His desire to work with local coaches is also admirable.
What Micho needs is full support from Government, FAZ, fans and all the stakeholders in football. With the Serb at the helm it seems like “dawn is coming!”
We continue talking via chailegrace21@gmail.com.
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