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A senior member of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has said they can no longer afford head coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic. Justus Mugisha, 1st Vice President of the Federation, told KweséESPN in a phone interview before he left Ntungamo district on Wednesday that in light of Sredojevic's increased profile, they do not have the resources to afford him. The development comes after the Serbian claimed last week that he has not been paid four months' salary arrears and bonuses that amount to $64,000. "Micho's profile has now increased since he qualified the team for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and we do not have the money to match what other people and clubs are ready to offer him," Mugisha told KweséESPN. "We do not have the government fully supporting the national team and we always have to struggle to pay the coach." On Monday, the coach held talks with FA President Moses Magogo and other association members including Mugisha, where they failed to agree terms. The matter has been referred to Sredojevic's South African-based agent Ivica Stankovic to handle together with the Federation Chief Executive Officer Edgar Suubi Watson. The coach is currently holidaying in Addis Ababa, amidst rumours that he's being linked for a return to Orlando Pirates, the club he guided to the semifinal of the CAF Champions League in 2006. Mugisha also acknowledged that the Ugandan federation have been stretched financially due to the cost of organising an elective general Assembly on August 5th. "Unfortunately, we may not be able to match what Micho wants compared to what others are offering him," the vice president continued, "but if his agent and our CEO fail to agree, then there will be no option because we cannot afford him." Sredojevic, who first came to Africa to join Uganda's most decorated club Sports Club Villa, has also held posts at Saint George in Ethiopia, Young Africans FC of Tanzania and Sudanese heavyweights Al-Hilal Omdurman. Between 2011 and 2013, he was head coach of the Rwandan national team. Should Sredojevic depart, Uganda will need to find another coach ahead of the upcoming 2018 Africa Nations Championship qualifying double header against Rwanda next month and the back-t0-back World Cup qualifiers against Egypt in August and September.
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