Orlando Pirates finally let the cat out of the bag when they confirmed that coach Jose Riveiro will be leaving at the end of his contract in June 2025.
Riveiro had stayed mum over his future as he entered the final months of his deal but Pirates confirmed his desire to cut ties when his contract expires to be close to his family who he has stayed away from during his three years in South Africa.
That announcement broke the hearts of many Pirates fans as Riveiro has built a great team during his time in charge of the Soweto giants that Bucs fans admire and rival supporters envy.
For a man who was labeled a ‘plumber’ when he arrived, given he did not have an impressive CV, what Riveiro has done at Pirates to silence his doubters has been impressive and Afrik-Foot looks at how the Spanish mentor changed the Buccaneers.
Brought back belief
One of the main and very first things Riveiro did when he arrived was to instill in his players that they were good enough and could challenge for titles.
Riveiro joined Pirates when there was a feeling that you had to be at Mamelodi Sundowns to win trophies but he changed that perception by pushing his players and making them walk tall.
They responded with good and consistent performances and the rest is history.
Attractive football
Riveiro also got Pirates playing an attractive brand of football with an emphasis on hogging possession and building up from the back.
He ensured he had the players with the technical ability to play this style of football and when they started winning, it became double joy for Bucs fans.
The tactician has also not shied away from being pragmatic when he feels the opponent is strong but even during such moments, Pirates have never lost their identity.
Tactical flexibility
The outgoing Pirates coach has shown remarkable levels of tactician awareness by either springing up a surprise in his lineups or even changing the shape of his team in-game.
Riveiro can go with 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2 like witnessed in the CAF Champions League away to MC Alger.
He does this to bring the best out of the players at his disposal as well as what he expects from the opponent and most of the time, it has yielded positive results.
Giving youth a chance
With Riveiro leaving Pirates at the end of the season, a number of players will be grateful that they got into the first team when he was in charge.
Riveiro is the reason Pirates fans can celebrate Thabiso Sesana, Mohau Nkota, Relebohile Mofokeng and Mbekelezi Mbokani, all who are now part of the first team.
Riveiro’s background as a youth coach has helped open doors for talented Pirates youngsters and he will leave behind a good spine for his successor to build on.
Winning trophies
Once Riviero turned Pirates from doubters into believers, trophies started coming and even before the season is out and three big ones still to fight for, he has already won five.
Pirates have won MTN8s in each of the three seasons he has been in charge, claimed two straight Nedbank Cups and they are in the semi-final of the competition again.
While league glory has evaded Riveiro in the last two campaigns, this season, his team is very much in the title race while they also carry a CAF Champions League quarter-final first leg advantage after winning 1-0 away to MC Alger of Algeria.
It means Riveiro still has a chance to add more into the trophy cabinet before he says adios.
