Jose Riveiro makes bold claim about his Pirates tenure
Jose Riveiro has made a bold claim about his Orlando Pirates tenure as he seeks to establish himself at Egyptian giants, Al Ahly.
The Spaniard had a memorable three years at the Soweto giants, where he won three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cup trophies.
He also helped Pirates reach the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Pyramids.
Having joined the club as a relatively unknown figure in 2022, his work spoke loudly, and he left with 80 wins, 26 draws and 26 defeats in 132 matches. As he starts life in Egypt, Riveiro has reflected on his tenure at Pirates.
WHAT RIVEIRO SAID ABOUT HIS ORLANDO PIRATES TENURE
The 49-year-old told Al Ahly TV that the Pirates set-up helped prepare him for what will undoubtedly be a difficult task in Egypt.
What particularly excited him is how they became a conveyor belt of churning out the best youthful players in the Betway Premiership. Under his watch, Relebohile Mofokeng, Mohau Nkota and Mbekezeli Mbokazi rose to stardom.
“Of course, being a coach at Orlando Pirates helped me a lot. The idea at Orlando Pirates is that I was not coaching a team, I was running a project there to build a whole team of young players,” he said as translated from Arabic.
“It was difficult, but I learnt a lot from it. I was able to win five titles, and I was able to participate in the African Championship [CAF Champions League]. And I was able to reach the final stages of the championship [Betway Premiership] more than once.”
The Spanish coach also highlighted his instrumental role in nurturing talent. He emphasised that Pirates provided a unique platform where aspiring footballers could truly flourish.
“And through Orlando Pirates, I was able to help a lot of young players become stars in Africa. First, because they were qualified. Secondly, because they were trained in a scientific way,” he added.
“Of course, the support system helped me a lot. And the management of the club, which had a vision of how to bring out a generation of young players capable of competing in all the African championships.”
“The experience at Pirates helped me a lot. I was able to get to know Africa in my role and my abilities as a coach; I wasn’t afraid.”
Recognising the unique demands of his new environment, Riveiro said he embraces the challenges awaiting him at Al Ahly. With a wealth of experience, he acknowledged the cultural and philosophical differences in play, asserting his readiness to adapt.
“I am an expert, I know that I came here with a different culture. And I know that here people have a different understanding of football. But I accept the challenges from the club,” he declared, having joined Al Ahly in May 2025.
“And I know that I will face many challenges. But I learnt from my previous experience that I have to agree with this new culture. And any other culture I will face or live with. And the culture of Al Ahly, I know it well.
“I knew it before I came here. The first and the last culture of the club is to win all the championships you can participate in. And I know that I’m at a big club. I want to win all the championships available in front of me.”
RELATED STORY: Top 4 insights from Jose Riveiro’s last press conference as Pirates coach