Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro wants to see Patrick Maswanganyi continue to express himself by doing the tricks and flicks that he likes.
Maswanganyi has divided opinion among fans and pundits with his showboating which has been lauded by some and frowned at by others.
The Pirates midfielder is known to wow fans with his footwork, making tricks and stepping on the ball at times, but not everyone likes them, his biggest critic being Bucs legend Jomo Sono.
However, his coach Riveiro has no problem with the showboating as he believes it is one of the player’s ways to express himself and wants him to continue as long as it does not hinder the collective.
Riveiro defends ‘flair player’ Maswanganyi
“Tito is the type of player that South African football fans want to see on the field, especially in big games. He brings flair, the identity of our football and the origin of our football,” Riveiro said on the Bucs Camp: The Coach on Pirates TV.
“So, Tito comes from that background, and he must be himself, but he must not forget that we’re playing to win.
“We are in the business of winning and getting three points, we are not in the business of stepping onto the ball, but I think Tito is one of those players that needs to do those things [showboating] to get the confidence and the arrogance which is necessary.”
The midfielder defended his style of playing, saying it is one way of boosting confidence in him and his team-mates.
What has Tito said over his showboating?
“I have different ways of playing, I’m able to play without dribbling. I feel like when I’m dribbling, that gets me into the game,” Maswanganyi said as per FARPost.
“Sometimes the dribbling even helps the people I’m playing with because when I start doing the tricks, you can see that it’s giving us the rhythm. When I’m not dribbling, the coach thinks that I don’t want to play.”
Maswanganyi remains one of Riveiro’s key men, having scored five goals and provided three assists in 30 games this season, his goals including a last-minute Panenka that won the Soweto derby for Pirates in February.
Since joining Pirates, the 26-year-old has scored 15 goals and provided as many assists in 70 matches across all competitions.
