Pirates coach Micho has fond memories of derby at old FNB

The last time Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic coach Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby FNB Stadium was blue and white and not the present‚ revamped‚ super-modern-day orange venue that hosted a World Cup final.

Sredojevic coached in one match against Kaizer Chiefs in his previous stint as Bucs coach when he was just 37 in 2006‚ and has fond memories of one of the continent’s biggest sporting occasions.

The Serb will lap up the atmosphere again as Pirates meet Chiefs in their Absa Premiership fixture on Saturday afternoon at the new‚ 94 000-seater FNB.

“With my memories from the old stadium I have a similar drive for this game [on Saturday]‚ but with a few differences‚” Sredojevic said.

“The game in South Africa has grown from strength to strength – this is by far the most competitive league in Africa.

“And the biggest derby of this league‚ Pirates and Chiefs‚ brings a special excitement to the country.

“In my last derby I have seen close to 100 000 people [in the stadium].

“And the biggest memory for me from that game was that I have seen [then Chiefs left-back] David Obua – who is my boy from Uganda – come for a throw-in near me‚ and stood by my shoulder talking to me.

“That is something that in any other derby in the world is impossible.

“And that is a phenomenon on this planet. Where families are divided into yellow and black‚ the colours are divided‚ but this game is something uniting South Africans.

“And this is something I urge South Africans to keep for years to come‚ because it's something really special and I really feel privileged to be part of this occasion.”

Sredojevic had come across Obua coaching Villa SC in Uganda in 2004 before his pervious stint at Pirates.

Third-placed Pirates have not won in three games. They were flat being held to a 1-1 draw at FNB on Wednesday by bottom-placed Platinum Stars‚ but are hardly likely to lack intensity on Saturday afternoon.

Chiefs‚ in fourth place‚ will be hopeful that their 2-1 win against African champions Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday can spur an improvement on a slow start to the season.