Orlando Pirates have allowed head coach Jose Riveiro to leave the club earlier than initially planned, enabling him to join a new club. On Tuesday evening, Riveiro will guide the team for the final time against Golden Arrows.
The news comes just two days after the Buccaneers failed to defend their Nedbank Cup title. They fell 2-1 to rivals Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza confirmed that the Spaniard approached them “a few weeks ago with a request to be released from his contract ahead of schedule, having signed with a new club.”
He added that, considering the timing during a series of important fixtures, they felt it was necessary to delay the announcement until after the Nedbank Cup final. The veteran administrator, Khoza, paid tribute to Riveiro, who won five trophies, including two Nedbank Cup titles and three MTN8 trophies, during his three-year tenure.
“His contribution since joining the Club has been immense. We learned a lot from him, and he learned a lot from us,” read a Pirates statement.
PIRATES FULLY RESPECT RIVEIRO EARLY EXIT DECISION
“While we would have preferred to formally honour him with a proper send-off, we fully respect his decision to depart before the end of his tenure,” added Khoza. In April, the Bucs confirmed that Riveiro will leave at the end of the season.
At the time, they were still in the running for three titles – the CAF Champions League, Betway Premiership and Nedbank Cup.
The Soweto giants were eliminated from the Champions League, while Mamelodi Sundowns need only a point to win the league title. At this stage, there seems to be little at stake, which is why Riveiro requested to leave early.
“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Orlando Pirates for allowing me the opportunity to leave before the end of my contract. As someone who has never found goodbyes easy, this moment is particularly emotional for me,” Riveiro told orlandopiratesfc.com.
“I am deeply grateful to everyone at the Club – from management and technical staff to the players and the many individuals behind the scenes who work tirelessly to support the team.
“To the players, thank you for believing in the journey we shared and for giving everything on the pitch. And to the supporters. When I arrived, I challenged you to come out in your numbers and rally behind your team. You did that, and more. You turned every match into a moment to remember, and your passion is something I will carry with me forever. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this great Club’s story.”
Assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi will take charge of the team’s remaining matches this season on an interim basis. Head performance analyst Rayaan Jacobs will support Ncikazi.
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