Micho feels he can last at Bucs

Only one coach has seen out his contract at Orlando Pirates in the last decade, but Bucs' new mentor Milutin Sredojevic is confident he is here to stay.

The Serbian known as Micho has joined Pirates on a three-year deal, but he's the same man who lasted just seven months at the club in 2006. He was 36 at the time.

In the last 10 years, only Ruud Krol finished the three years of his contract before parting ways with the club.

Sredojevic, 47, believes he has become a better coach over the years since leaving SA.

"I got a call that is very hard to resist [about the Pirates job]. I want to call him my football father, [club chairman] Irvin Khoza. He's irresistible," said Sredojevic in his unveiling at Orlando Stadium yesterday.

"I hope to turn around the fortunes of the club and return the club to where it belongs. I'm optimistic."

Sredojevic took Bucs to the 2006 CAF Champions League semifinals but his overall record of six wins, nine draws and eight defeats in 23 matches saw him walk the plank. This time, though, Sredojevic insisted that he can steer the Bucs ship in the right direction and stay longer.

"I came here being assured of the full support by all the structures at the club. I've been on football studies for the last 10 years and I believe I got enough experience. It's a huge challenge in front of me," Sredojevic admitted.

"I don't feel pressure, but I feel extremely responsible towards the chairman and the club that has brought me here.

"I cannot guarantee anything, but I promise I will sweat tears and blood in working hard," added Sredojevic, who resigned as Uganda's national team head coach last week.

Khoza, meanwhile, responded to suggestions by some of the team's former players that coaches have no say at Pirates and that's why they don't stay long.

Mark Mayambela, who's now with Chippa, suggested there is interference when he tweeted on Wednesday: "Pirates always had the same coach for the past 10 years just different trainers".

Khoza didn't really entertain the rumours, but admitted theirs is not a perfect team.

"When you comment from a distance, it becomes unfortunate. If you mean well, you [can] come to the office and have a meeting with the chairman," Khoza said.