Jose Riveiro is officially the longest-serving Orlando Pirates coach in the Premier Soccer League era.
On Tuesday, the Spaniard was in charge of his 120th game at Bucs since taking over as the coach at the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign. However, he didn't celebrate the milestone as he may have wished owing to a goalless draw between his team and hosts Stellenbosch who finished the game with 10 men after the sending off of Kenya international Brian Mandela.
Prior to the most recent assignment, Ruud Krol was holding the record, having coached the club for 119 games. He managed 60 wins, 38 draws, and 21 defeats as opposed to Riveiro who has so far registered 74 wins, 23 draws, and as many losses.
The tactician insists he did not achieve the fete all by himself, and hinted he is looking forward to getting more games under his belt.
‘I am not doing this alone'
“It’s been a long run; it’s just a number, but obviously when you have a look at that number, you know how much dedication is behind, how much time and sacrifices,” he said after the game against Stellies.
“I’m not gonna say I’m proud of myself because I’m not doing this alone, for coaches in our position to stay in the club for the period of 120 games; I’m about to finish my third season at Pirates; it looks normal, but it’s not.
I have to say thank you to the management of the club for being patient with me and with the coaching staff with all of us, year after year keep growing as a team, as a group, and pushing this project forward. Probably right now, I cannot give the value of the meaning of those 120 games. Yeah, let’s go for more.”
Riveiro's current deal with the Soweto giants expires at the end of the ongoing campaign. He has won three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups during his time at the club.
