Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has credited the players for the newfound mentality of wanting to fight it out every game and walk off the pitch knowing that they gave their best regardless of the outcome.
Riveiro has reached his first final since his appointment in June this year.
The Spanish-born mentor oversaw the Buccaneers’ 3-0 win against rivals Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semifinal second leg at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
Pirates are also currently fourth on the DStv Premiership log, trailing leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by three points.
WHAT THE BUCS COACH SAID
“We train every morning and when I say train, I say it with capital letters. We work hard and we work smart every morning,” he told the media in Polokwane.
“The guys are very committed to the training process, with all the things that we focus on that can be good for us. It’s important to perform like today and get good results.
PAYING ATTENTION TO DETAIL
“Even I sometimes put attention on results but football is a game that is determined by details, various more details. One meter out, one meter in, you know.
“One second early, one second later. It makes a difference to determine a good team or a bad team, a good coach or a bad coach,” he explained.
“We don’t spend a second analyzing the result, we just try to analyze what we do. If we did what we prepared or if it works or not and we go to the next.
“We are having that mentality that we don’t fail, we just go to the next (match).
“If you continue the day after and you push yourself even after a bad result for sure you will improve and that’s what the boys are doing and I will make sure that we continue in the same line.”
Before their MTN8 final clash against AmaZulu, set to be staged at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 5 November, Pirates will take on rivals Kaizer Chiefs in a Soweto derby on Saturday.
