Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is on his way out of the club following his announcement that he will depart at the end of his contract when the season is out.
Riveiro will complete three years at the club and will leave as Pirates’ longest-serving coach and also the most successful tactician at the Soweto giants.
These are not things that were associated with Riveiro when he arrived at Pirates in July 2022 as his credentials did not convince the Bucs supporters and South African football fans in general.
When he arrived, the Vigo native had an unconvincing CV with spells as a youth coach in Spain, assistant coach in Finland with his only job as a head coach being two years in charge of Finnish club Inter Turku.
That was seen as not enough for a big club like Pirates and Riveiro ended up being labeled a “plumber” by unconvinced fans.
But how wrong were they as Riveiro has gone on to prove all his doubters wrong during his three-year stay in South Africa.
When did Jose Riveiro arrive at Pirates?
Jose Riveiro arrived on July 1, 2022 to a doubting press during his unveiling when reporters did not shy away from asking him if he was a “plumber.”
Jose Riveiro’s achievements at Pirates
Upon his arrival, Riveiro embarked on building a team that would be strong enough to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns in the PSL and also play attractive football.
Riveiro went about his business quietly and while he did not win the league in his first season, he won two trophies, the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup.
That raised expectations in the second season but Pirates’ lack of consistency saw them left behind by Sundowns again in the title race. However, like in his first season, Riveiro’s men won the MTN and Nedbank Cup, at the expense of the Brazilians, having beaten them in both finals.
By this time, Riveiro had turned Pirates into cup specialists and in his third season, another MTN8 arrived while his team have taken it a notch higher as they are still in the title race, have made it to the CAF Champions League semi-final for the first time since 2013 while they are also in the Nedbank Cup semi-final.
Tributes to Jose Riveiro
With what he has achieved, Riveiro has turned from a man who was called a “plumber’ to a cult hero among Pirates fans while he also commands respect and admiration from South African football supporters because of his achievements and the way he carries himself.
It was therefore no surprise when rival coaches lauded him after it was announced that he will be leaving.
“Even though it is out of my league, I can say he has done a massive job there [at Orlando Pirates],” said Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe.
“So, winning five cups in three seasons at the club is no child’s play. You know, winning a cup every season is not easy. So, he has contributed massively to our league and the club.”
Former Pirates coach Teboho Moloi also had all but good things to say about Riveiro.
“It came as a shock and surprise for me. I will be honest, I didn’t see it coming because of what he has built and how he integrated himself into the history that goes with the team,” Moloi said on Radio 2000.
“You know, I always hear everybody saying that he has introduced youngsters and given them a chance. But if you follow the history of the club, you will understand that youngsters have been the cornerstone of the team since the days of Ace Khuse before he went to Kaizer Chiefs.”
