FAZ responds to anxiety around Sredolevic's appointment as Zambia coach

The federation has been on the lookout for a national team head coach since the acrimonious exit of Sven Vandenbroeck 

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has responded to the anxiety around the appointment of Milutin Sredolevic as the head coach of the national team.

FAZ settled on Sredolevic, popularly known as 'Micho', as Sven Vandenbroeck's permanent successor but reports in Zambia indicate the Ministry of Sports is yet to sanction the choice.

The Federation has been seeking to fill the vacant left unceremoniously by Vandenbroeck in January 2019. In August 2019, the FAZ had appointed Serbian coach Jelusic Vaselin but the Minister of Sports Emmanuel Mulenga failed to sanction the appointment too.

“An atmosphere of anxiety has gripped the football family as they await the unveiling of the newly-appointed Chipolopolo coach. The FAZ executive committee settled for Milutin Sredolevic popularly known as ‘Micho’,” FAZ said in a statement on their Facebook page.

“The Serb was picked after a highly rigorous process that commenced with a public advert in the national press. Over sixty candidates applied for the job with the association coming up with a 13-member short-list.”

The federation went on to constitute a panel which would help them pick the most suitable candidate to head the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations champions.

Serame Lestsoaka, Fidelis Banda who is a former FAZ general secretary, Daniel Kabwe of the Zambia Football Coaches Association, Raphael Mulenga who is the secretary-general of the National Sports Council of Zambia, Colonel Brightwell Banda, a former Zambia national team coach, and Lyson Zulu formed the committee who eventually settled on Micho.

“The panel ran the mill over the 13 candidates and narrowed it down to three whose list was handed over to the FAZ Technical Committee for further scrutiny,” the statement added.

“The Technical Committee forwarded its recommendation to the FAZ Executive Committee that narrowed it down to the final choice that was Micho.”

The FAZ admitted the approval now lies with the government as they have already handed the former Rwanda and Uganda head coach a two-year deal.

"Once the name was picked on January 20, 2020, it was then forwarded to the Ministry of Sports for approval," it concluded.

“Correspondence was duly sent to the ministry with the FAZ delegation following up with a physical appearance on January 22, 2020.

“Micho is expected in the country this week to close the two-year deal that will see him bring an assistant and goalkeeper trainer while FAZ will attach a local assistant and goalkeeper coach to understudy the foreign bench.”

The former Zamalek SC and Orlando Pirates coach will be expected to lead Chipolopolo in the upcoming African Nations Championship (Chan) finals in March 2020 as well as in the World Cup and Afcon qualifiers.