Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is already saying his goodbyes even as his team challenges for trophies on three fronts.
Riveiro announced last week that he will not renew his contract, when it expires at the end of the season, bringing an end to an exciting and successful three-year stint as Pirates coach.
The Spanish mentor has built a good team that is now challenging for the biggest trophies as his side have made it to the CAF Champions League semi-final, still in the PSL title race and will contest the Nedbank Cup semi-final, having already won the MTN8 this season.
Riveiro’s stint has seen Pirates become fearless and they are now admired by fans with their football also captivating supporters in South Africa and beyond.
The 49-year-old therefore leaves behind a rich legacy at the club and his departure will leave a big hole that his successor will struggle to fill.
How Riveiro started Pirates transformation
When he was announced as Pirates coach on June 25, 2022, Riveiro’s arrival was greeted with skepticism among Bucs fans and South African media, some even labelling him a ‘plumber.’
This was because he lacked experience as his last job as head coach had been two years in charge of Finnish club Inter Turku, having previously served as assistant in Finland and worked as a youth coach in Spain.
Many thought his credentials were not good enough to handle a big club like Pirates but he would later prove them wrong.
Pirates went on a signing spree and brought in Miguel Timm, Evidence Makgopa, Bienvenu Eva Nga and Azola Matrose among others to help improve a squad that had laboured to a sixth-place finish the previous season.
Spanish coach embraced pragmatic approach
Riveiro would then begin the tough job of rebuilding the team and also made tough calls in his selection and tactics.
Having realised that his team was not good enough to challenge for titles, Riveiro became pragmatic in his approach, setting up specifically to suit the opponents as he continued to build the team in his image.
He got fans on board by winning the MTN8 in the 2022-23 season and then steered the club to second position to return to the Champions League before ending the season with another trophy, the Nedbank Cup.
That brought back belief and in his second season, expectations were high. There was hope that Pirates could finally challenge for the title but Riveiro’s team fell short once again.
More trophies & promotion of youth
However, they still won two trophies, retaining the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup at the expense of Sundowns on both occasions.
By this time, Riveiro had turned the team into his image as they were playing attractive football, while he had brought in a number of young players.
Relebohile Mofokeng and Thabiso Sesane were among youngsters elevated by Riveiro in his second season and in his third, it has only gotten better.
The Buccaneers would become the first team to win three straight MTN8s in October 2024 while they made giant strides in the Champions League.
Can Pirates seal an unprecedented quadruple?
For the first time since 2019, Pirates made it to the group stages of the Champions League and they have grown in strength to reach the semi-final since 2013, keeping alive their dream of becoming continental champions since their only win in 1995.
There have been improvements in the league too as they are 12 points behind Mamelodi Sundowns and with three matches in hand, giving them a chance to close in to within just three points in the final weeks of the season while they will face Marumo Gallants in the Nedbank Cup semi-final.
This season has seen the promotion of more young players, Mohau Nkota and Mbekelezi Mbokazi, the latest to be unleashed and they have played a key role in their success so far this season.
How do Bucs go on from here?
During his time at Pirates, Riveiro has also carried himself well avoiding confrontations with the referees, press and even fans with his calm demeanor winning him admiration.
Riveiro will, therefore, leave behind a legacy of attractive football, promotion of youth and winning trophies that will make the job for his predecessor tough but he has put the club on a great path where if they take the next step, they will be a machine that could finally give South African football another force besides Mamemodi Sundowns.
Pirates must, however, select carefully whoever takes over from him as all the work the Spanish tactician has put in could be eroded by a poor appointment.
