Riveiro Urges Fair Treatment For Successor
Former Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has called on South African journalists to support his successor and treat him fairly, just as they did with him.
Riveiro made the plea after his final match in charge of the Buccaneers, a 3-0 win over Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday.
The Spanish tactician, who joined Pirates in 2022 on a three-year deal, had requested an early release from his contract, which was set to expire at the end of June.
The club has since appointed Mandla Ncikazi as caretaker coach for the remainder of the season, assisted by Performance Analyst Rayaan Jacobs.
“I wish you (journalists) could support him (the new coach of Pirates) because you played a big role in me,” Riveiro said.
“The fact that someone else will be sitting here, will be sitting in front of you, I think it will be good for the people who will share information about the coach to be fair, because that will make South African football good.
“I wish him and the players all the best, and it would be nice if you were perfect for the next coach and also the players.”
Riveiro also expressed gratitude to the club’s management, technical staff, players, and fans for their support during his tenure.
The former Inter Turku mentor also praised chairman Irvin Khoza for his care and consideration.
“I think the chairman is taking care of me. He really cares about me, and even the management cares about me,” he added.
“I think what they are doing with my future is something good, and they also considered that it’s something fair with me and with my time at Pirates.
“So, the chairman and the management were always taking care of me, even now, as I’m leaving, they are still taking care of me.
“I’m so thankful to the chairman with and I really appreciate what he did for me, and I will never forget what he did for me, and I’m happy about that.”
Riveiro’s departure marks the end of an era for Pirates, with the team having won five domestic trophies under his leadership. He also led the team to the semifinals of the CAF Champions League and the Nedbank Cup final this season.
Riveiro’s sentiments were echoed in the stands, where fans showed their appreciation for the coach’s contributions to the team. His emotional goodbye was a testament to the impact he had on the club and its fans.
