A former Orlando Pirates coach has explained why he believes the club's current head coach, Jose Riveiro, has the potential to emulate the success of Manchester United's legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Spanish tactician joined the Buccaneers ahead of the 2022/23 season and has already clinched four trophies: two MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups. The club has openly declared its ambition to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns as league champions this season.
Owen Da Gama, who managed Pirates in the 2007/08 campaign, is confident that Riveiro is the right man to deliver a league title to Mayfair.
However, he cautioned against expecting a league title this season. He believes that, similar to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Riveiro should be given ample time to build the team even more. Once he starts winning league titles, Da Gama predicts, the success will be sustained.
DA GAMA ON WHY PIRATES SHOULDN’T EXPECT THE LEAGUE TITLE THIS SEASON?
“I'm very impressed with what the coach of Pirates said. He made a statement that SuperSport is gonna be a team to watch this season, so he is not undermining them,” Owen Da Gama told KickOff.
“This is going to be a very good start for the season, and it's gonna be a very big game. But I will put my money on Pirates. They have shown their cup pedigree.
“There's a lot of continuity. They have the same coach, they still have most of the players they had last season, and they've strengthened.
“I think it's very unfair to expect Riveiro to win the league this season. There was a time when Sundowns were not winning the league but winning cup competitions.
“I think Pirates are going to put a very good assault on the league this season, though. It's about continuity.
“It took Alex Ferguson six years to win the league, and once he won it, he couldn't stop it, and they broke all sorts of records. So, I think Riveiro has done very well and he should be allowed to continue to build.
“Football is not a destination, it's a process, it's a journey. The fans must allow the management, the coaching department and the players to walk the journey to build them something special.
“I think the potential is there for Riveiro to be Pirates' Alex Ferguson. He's done very well, and this season is gonna be a test for him. Everyone want to see if Pirates could progress beyond last season.”
Da Gama says Pirates should first focus on closing the significant gap to Sundowns, who won the league by 23 points last season.
‘IT MUSTN’T BE A RUNAWAY FOR SUNDOWNS’
“Last season, they finished second, so they've got to challenge for the league this season. This is where we will see what the coach can do.
“But I think if he loses the league by one or two points, then he would have done a great job. It mustn't be a runaway for Sundowns, you know.”
