Coach Jose Riveiro ended his stint in South Africa on Tuesday night on a high as his team, Orlando Pirates beat Golden Arrows 3-0 in the Premier Soccer League game staged at the Orlando Stadium.
Tshegofatso Mabasa, Bandile Shandu and Kabelo Dlamini were on target to help Buccaneers cement their second place on the table and qualify for the Caf Champions League with four games to spare.
The Spaniard has been at the helm of the Buccaneers since the 2022/23 season, when he made his debut in South African football. He managed to win 80 games from the 132 he coached across all competitions, losing 26 and drawing as many.
Despite the majority of the fans and club wanting him to stay, Riveiro wants another challenge. He has already been linked to Al Ahly, who are without a coach after the exit of Marcel Koller after the Red Devils were eliminated from the Caf Champions League in the semi-final phase by Mamelodi Sundowns.
Riveiro done with Mzansi?
The tactician has now boldly claimed he will not coach any other team in the Premier Soccer League after what he has achieved with Pirates. He insists he will remain a Buccaneer throughout his life.
“No [I won’t coach another South African club], never… Never… Once Always; I will never coach any other team in South Africa. I am a Buccaneer,” he told the media in the post-match interview.
“Orlando Pirates is the only club that I could have the motivation and the courage and energy, and the heart, in this case to coach in the country, no doubt,” Riveiro concluded.
During his time at Pirates, Riveiro won three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups; his team has finished in the PSL's top two positions for three consecutive seasons. He also managed to take Bucs to the Caf Champions League semi-final but narrowly lost to Pyramids.
