Serbian Micho to be Zamalek’s new coach: Egypt’s Mortada Mansour
Serbian tactician Milutin Micho Sredojevic will be Zamalek’s new coach, according to club president Mortada Mansour.
“Choosing the new coach is over. Micho is our choice,” Mansour told Mehwar TV channel early on Saturday.
Under temporary coach Tarek Yehia, Zamalek kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 7-0 hammering of Somalia’s Dekedaha in the first leg of the preliminary round on Friday.
The coaching job has been vacant in Zamalek since the sacking of former coach Khaled Galal after a 1-0 loss to rivals Ahly in the Cairo Derby and the loss of the Egyptian Premier League title.
Galal took charge following the departure of Swiss tactician Christian Gross who led the team to its first ever Confederation Cup title late in May. Former Zamalek star Tarek Yehia was made caretaker coach until a new coach was appointed.
“Micho was the first choice for the new coach selecting committee,” explained Mansour.
“Yehia will be the assistant coach with Micho. Ayman Abdel- Aziz will be the team’s coordinator while Amir Mortada will continue as football supervisor,” he added without disclosing any other details about the new deal.
The 49-year old Micho resigned from his post as Orlando Pirates head coach after a reported mutual agreement with the club; paving the way for his move to the Cairo giants.
Stanojevic maneuver
Micho’s announcement comes just 48 hours after Mansour’s announcement of reaching an agreement with countryman Aleksandar Stanojevic.
“Stanojevic isn’t the new coach. I was tricking all,” club president Mansour said on Saturday.
“Announcing Stanojevic’s name was a maneuver to unveil the enemies and those who insult the club,” he concluded.
Micho won the Ugandan Premier League three times in 2002,2003 and 2004 upon taking the charge of Villa SC This was before winning the Ethiopian League title four times while taking charge of Saint-George SA from 2005 to 2010.
The former Rwanda and Uganda coach also won the Sudanese league title once in 2010 with Al-Hilal Omdurman.
Under Micho’s guidance, Orlando Pirates ended the domestic league at second place last season to ensure a place in the African Champions League; marking their first appearance since losing the final to Egypt’s Ahly in 2013.
Zamalek finished second in the Egyptian Premier League this season, and won the continental-level Confederation Cup.
The White Knights still have the chance to fight for more titles – the Egypt Cup and the CAF Super Cup- in addition to last season’s edition of the Egypt Super Cup.
Source: Ahram Online
