Riveiro Reflects On His Legacy During His Time at Pirates
As Jose Riveiro prepares for an emotional farewell at Orlando Stadium today, Tuesday, against Golden Arrows, the Orlando Pirates coach has expressed his desire to be remembered as a good person.
In an unexpected turn of events, Riveiro will take charge of his final match as Pirates coach against the Durban-based side after an agreement was reached with Bucs chairman Dr Irvin Khoza for him to leave the club earlier than initially anticipated on Monday.
This decision stems from the fact that Pirates have no further trophies to compete for this season. Their loss to Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday was compounded by the fact that they cannot finish lower than second place in the Betway Premiership table.
This defeat also dashed Pirates’ hopes of making history by winning the Nedbank Cup for the third consecutive time and achieving a third consecutive domestic double.
Furthermore, Riveiro’s loss in the Nedbank Cup final prevented him from setting a new record of six consecutive Soweto Derby victories, marking his first defeat in the competition since his arrival.
The Celta Vigo-born coach had informed the club’s management in April of his decision not to renew his contract, which expires at the end of the season, despite having won five trophies with the Soweto Giants.
“That is for you [the media] to judge in the future, the fans, and whoever else I might be missing,” said Riveiro. “I don’t mind anyone else’s opinion. The only thing that matters to me is my players and the people who work with me and think about me – as a person and as a coach, that is the legacy for me.”
“Then, there are the fans, who are extremely proud of the development of this team during these three years. The dignity, the professionalism, the competitiveness within the group, the three seasons, the trophies as well, the experiences in the CAF Champions League – there is a lot positive about my club, about my team, and that is the most important.”
“For me personally, I just want to be remembered by people as a good person. They [the fans] will be with me forever, and they know, and that’s it.”
Riveiro’s decision to leave at the end of the season was anticipated, partly due to him living in South Africa without his family, which made it challenging for him to settle.
Arriving in June 2022 as a relatively unknown figure, Riveiro appeared unfazed by the daunting task ahead. Just four months into his tenure, he led Pirates to the MTN8 title, with a 1-0 victory over AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
More success followed for Pirates under Riveiro’s guidance. They achieved a domestic double by winning the Nedbank Cup and finishing second in the league. They repeated this feat the following season, defending both titles and securing another second-place league finish.
However, this season saw Pirates elevate their performance further. They clinched their third consecutive MTN8 title, becoming the first team in the PSL era to achieve this milestone.
Additionally, Riveiro guided Pirates to the CAF Champions League semi-final for the first time since they reached the final in 2013, ultimately losing to Pyramids. That single loss in the second leg of the semi-final in Egypt proved decisive, leading to their exit from the competition.
During his tenure, Riveiro has overseen a total of 131 matches for Pirates, including 46 this season. His record stands at 81 wins, 28 losses, and 22 draws.
