Orlando Pirates are currently in the market for a new coach following the departure of the hugely popular Jose Rieiro, who has since joined Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
Riveiro ended his three-year spell at Pirates in May, opting to leave early after landing the Al Ahly job, but he left as one of the most successful coaches in the club’s history, having won five trophies.
While league glory eluded him, managing three straight runners-up positions, the Spanish mentor brought back belief, instilled a winning mentality, played an attractive brand of football while giving opportunities to several young players to add onto his trophies.
Those are big shoes to fill and as Pirates search for his replacement, the man in the dugout has to be one that continues where Riveiro left off and also make Pirates better rather than reinventing the wheel.
So, who is the man that can turn Pirates from pretenders into title challengers?
Rulani Mokwena
Perhaps the best candidate among those freely available, Rulani Mokwena ticks most boxes for the Orlando Pirates job as he knows the club too well, having worked there from 2017 to 2020 as assistant under two coaches and then interim head coach.
Mokwena has already admitted that he would open to the job if it was offered to him, which might make things easy and his successful spell at Mamelodi Sundowns suggests he would build on what Riviero left behind by playing attractive football, promoting youth and winning trophies.
What’s more, Mokwena is not a confrontational character which would sit well with Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza, and he is freely available after leaving Moroccan giants Wydad AC.
Steve Barker
Another South African coach that would suit Pirates is Stellenbosch’s Steve Barker who has transformed the Cape Winelands team.
Barker has nurtured several players with a host of big names currently at some of the country’s top teams going through his hands while others are in various leagues in Europe.
Stellenbosch have been overachieving under Barker and have just secured third place for a second season in a row, having made it to the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final for the first time in history.
While he has had to contend with losing his best players every season, making it difficult to challenge for the league, Barker would not face this at Pirates which would enable him to build a solid squad that would challenge Sundowns for the title and he also plays attractive football.
Bruno Ferry
Who is that? Pirates fans might ask, but who was Jose Riveiro when he landed in Mzansi?
Well, Pirates boss Dr Khoza is never afraid of springing surprises and Frenchman Bruno Ferry could be a name he turns to following his departure from Congolese side AS Vita in May.
Ferry has experience in Africa as he has also worked in Tanzania with Azam FC, in Ghana, Cameroon and Senegal and would be a coach that turns around the fortunes of Pirates if he is given time, something he has not been afforded in his last two jobs.
Pitso Mosimane
A well-known coach in South Africa, Africa and in the Middle East, veteran tactician Pitso Mosimane is another name that could turn Pirates into title challengers.
Mosimane is credited for turning Mamelodi Sundowns into the title-winning machine that they currently are and Pirates fans would be hoping for the same from him.
However, “Jingles” would need lots of guarantees especially in the transfer market, as he is a coach who values a deep and quality squad which would mean big spending, something Pirates are not accustomed to, while he commands a huge salary and would demand to come with his own backroom staff.
These would be the sticking points for any potential deal but if Pirates can agree, then they will be guaranteed trophies under one of, if not the greatest, South African coach of all-time.
Marcel Koller
Veteran Swiss coach Marcel Koller is another ‘old hand’ who could transform Pirates into title challengers if Dr Khoza give him the chance and time.
Koller is also without a job after leaving Egyptian giants Al Ahly last month after his team’s CAF Champions League loss to Mamelodi Sundowns.
With 11 trophies at Al Ahly in under three years, including two Champions League and as many Egyptian Premier League titles, he could be the man to get Pirates over the line but whether he desires to work on the continent again is another thing altogether.
The 64-year-old, however, has plenty of experience having worked in his native Switzerland with FC Wil, St Gallen, Grasshoppers and Basel as well as in Germany with FC Koln and VfL Bochum and the Austria national team.
