Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says his tendency to give youth a chance is because of the extra effort the young players give due to their background.
Roveiro has been lauded for integrating Pirates youngsters into the senior team, with the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota being prime examples, while Siyabonga Ndlozi and Mbekezeli Mbokazi have also been given minutes.
The Pirates coach does not intend to change as he feels academy graduates give their all for the badge as they have been part of the structure and understand what it means to don the shirt.
“What you get from academy players is something you cannot get from anybody else,” Riveiro told the media after his team came from behind to beat Cape Town City 2-1 on Saturday.
Why does Riveiro like youngsters?
“They will always give you something special because they feel the club in a different way. They have been here as ball boys; they have gone around the guys for one or two seasons and suddenly, they are playing with them.
“They are ready to give you something extra that maybe you cannot get somewhere else. It is about the vision of the club and trying to do it as good as possible because sometimes it will not work out perfectly but I think so far, coach Joseph [Makhanya] and the people who are between the first and second team everybody is doing a good job.”
Riveiro’s trust in youth has given Pirates, and by extension South African fans, something to be proud of and also allowed the club to spend less on new players as the youngsters promoted to the senior team have been flourishing.
In a season when the Buccaneers are challenging on multiple fronts, they will need to dig deep into their reserve team for more quality additions to the squad as injuries and fatigue kick in.
