Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro feels his team should be considered among the best sides in the club’s history given what they have achieved in his time in charge.
Pirates are facing criticism once again for what looks like a failing attempt to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the PSL title as they find themselves 18 points behind the league leaders, heading into Sunday’s match against Miguel Cardoso’s team.
Although Sundowns have played four games more, there is a feeling that Pirates will find it difficult to catch up and they could end the week 21 points behind if they lose on Sunday.
That has seen critics aim jibes at Riveiro and his team but the Spanish tactician has shrugged it off, saying his side deserves a lot of respect.
Riveiro’s Pirates ‘one of the best in history’
“My players knowing what they are capable to do and how they are willing and ready to compete, how hungry they are, our capacity as a technical staff to try to help them to achieve what they want to achieve, so there is nothing around us that can makes me feel anything other than positive and optimistic,” Riveiro said on Thursday.
“If you have a look at our performance so far in every competition, I think we have been part so far of one of the best teams in Pirates history. It is up to you if you want to look in the same direction and in the same perspective but that is how we look at our situation right now.
“The performances are there so why should I look at the challenge in a different direction? We have to be positive because there are reasons to be positive, not because I am trying to motivate my people. It is a fact.
How can the Buccaneers catch Sundowns?
“You can also look at the games that we played in the league and the games our opponents who are top of the league played so it's unreal but still everything is in our hands. Obviously, we have to perform at the level that the challenge requires.”
Riveiro has won five trophies since joining Pirates in June 2022, being three MTN8s and two Nedbank Cup, and could make it three as they are in this season’s semi-final.
However, a PSL title challenge has faltered in the last two seasons and looks like it could be the case again this term as the difference in quality between Pirates and Sundown has become evident during a busy period.
Riveiro can, however, silence the critics if his team secures victory against Sundowns on Sunday as that would narrow the gap to 15 points, which can even go down to just three, if they managed to win all their four games in hand and set up a grand finish to the season.
