Orlando Pirates players are dreading the prospect of coach Jose Riveiro leaving the club as he enters the final months of his three-year contract.
Riveiro arrived at Pirates in June 2022 with lots of doubts aver his coaching credentials but has since silenced his critics after turning around the club’s fortunes with five trophies already won while there is still more to contest this season
Pirates are 15 points behind Mamelodi Sundowns in the PSL, but with four games in hand which could see them narrow the gap to just three, while they are in the Nedbank Cup semi-final and the CAF Champions League quarter-final for the first time in 13 years.
However, the Spanish tactician has been noncommittal about extending his stay beyond this season, leaving fans and his players in panic mode.
What have Pirates players said?
“It won’t sit well with many of us to leave. It would unsettle a lot of things. I hope he doesn’t leave,” Pirates defender Tapelo Xoki said in a teaser video posted by the club regarding Riveiro’s future.
The club has promised to make public the decision over Riveiro’s future in a two-part series set to air on March 23 and 24 on SuperSport TV and the club’s YouTube channel.
However, Riveiro’s assistant Mandla Ncikazi seems to have made peace with whatever decision his boss will make.
“Whether the coach will leave at the end of the season or he is staying is anybody’s guess currently,” said the 56-year-old, who might already have known what Riveiro has decided.
Riveiro has revived Bucs’ fortunes
“Working in football is like checking in the hotel. Others stay for one day, others for two days, others for a month but at the end, we all check out.”
Riveiro has shown great tactical acumen during his time in charge of Pirates, who have won three straight MTN8 and two back-to-back Nedbank Cup trophies, while also got them playing exciting football.
The former Inter Turku coach has also been lauded for promoting young players into the senior team with youngsters such as Relebohile Mofokeng, Thabiso Sesane, Mohau Nkota and Mbekezeli Mbokazi among first-team regulars given opportunities by him.
Riveiro is currently basking in the glory of his team’s 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday, thanks to Mofokeng’s two goals scored inside the first five minutes.
