Barely five months into his new job as Orlando Pirates coach, Jose Riveiro has won his first trophy, but has he done enough to convince Bucs’ fans that he’s the right man for the job?
When Riveiro was appointed as Pirates head coach in June, many were sceptical, including the Pirates faithful, with some reports describing him as a “plumber”.
The Pirates stint is Riveiro’s first on the African continent, and he has gotten off on the right footing, clinching the club’s second MTN8 title in three years.
Riveiro’s men beat AmaZulu 1-0 at a packed Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening, with Monnapule Saleng netting a wonder goal.
RIVEIRO ON COACHING PIRATES
When asked if he believes he is the right man to lead Pirates, Riveiro said: “I don’t go that deep thinking if I’m the right person.
“There is a very thin line between failure and success; we got a good result against AmaZulu, but in sports, there are many other aspects to consider.
“To answer your question, I’m the right person because I’m the coach that is here, leading the group until someone decides something different; the life of a coach is like that.
“I try to be a sportsman in every scenario and accept every situation; I’m here and trying to do my best, and so far, so good. I have responsibilities, I understand, but I have people around me.”
The victory also saw Pirates bounce back from the disappointing Soweto derby loss to rivals Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium last season, with the Spanish coach stating that he is fortunate to be coaching Pirates.
“We knew why we didn’t get a good result against Chiefs; we don’t hide our problems, what we don’t do very well,” added Riveiro.
“But usually, we are very competitive, and we try to find reasons and solutions as to why we don’t do well, not excuses.
“There was no time to feel sorry for ourselves; we knew the next game was the final.
“The way the players compete is amazing; I am a lucky coach to work with a group of players like this; I am very proud.”
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