Micho believes football can heal COVID-19 trauma

MUKWIMA CHILALA writes ZAMBIA National Soccer Team coach Milutin “Micho” Sredejevic says football will be used to heal people from the “trauma and torture” brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chipolopolo trainer was quoted by Goal.com on Tuesday having expressed confidence that the game will not lose its mass appeal and beauty once action resumed. Narrowing his views on African football, Micho noted that this period of inactivity should be used for self-examination to correct any wrongs. “I personally believe that African football will come back strong after this break in terms of club and national football. Why do I believe in this? I believe in this because this Covid-19 [pandemic] is like an invisible yellow card that we have from God and Mother Nature,” Micho said. “I strongly believe that all of us being in isolation and quarantine, we have enough time to think about everything and to bounce back stronger, and be hungry for football,” he said. The Serb however, admitted that the suspension of football had affected planning as he was gearing for his first competitive assignments as Zambia coach. Zambia were due to take on Botswana in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON)qualifiers at the end of March and then participate at the African Nations Championship (Chan) finals this April. He noted that the postponement of AfCON qualifiers and Chan tournament due to the Covid-19 outbreak had been a huge setback for everyone working in football. “However, we need to understand that no football is more important than human lives. I would say it affected our planning but we need to look forward and beyond this Covid-19 crisis we are going through.” he said. “For the people out of football we need to heal their souls with football. For us within football, we need to find a way and be hungry for football and bounce back extremely strong and giving our best in overall humanity recovering from the trauma and torture that Covid-19 did to all of us on this planet.” The Serb has, however, admitted that the suspension of football affected planning as he was gearing for his first competitive assignments as Zambia coach. Zambia were due to take on Botswana in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the end of March and then participate at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals this April. Micho and his technical bench have since devised training programs via video teleconferencing meant for Chipolopolo players around the world.