Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has expressed gratitude for being once again voted as the 2024 Carling All Stars team head coach, saying he is just doing his job to the best of his ability. 

The Spanish gaffer has once again been allowed to lead the Carling Cup All-Star team voted for by fans to take on Carling Cup winners, Magesi FC at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (15:30).

As a proven fans’ favorite coach, Riveiro will enjoy his second stint at the dugout after successfully leading last season’s All-Stars team to victory over inaugural Carling Cup victors, Stellenbosch FC. 

Riveiro expressed words of gratitude acknowledging the expectations that accompany his selection alluding to a clear mandate to be at your best.

“I am grateful like I said before to be here. I try to do my job as well as I  can working for Orlando Pirates. I try to gain the respect of everyone around trying to be the person I am and I’m so happy to be selected one more time. I think when the people select you the mandate is clear to try to do your best during the time that we will be involved in this short-term project,” said the Pirates mentor.

On their way to cup conquest, Riveiro’s Saturday opponents stunned his parent club Pirates 3-2 in the first round of the competition, denying the Spaniard another opportunity for a go at the only domestic cup he has failed to attain since he arrived in 2022.

While maintaining that he has unfinished business with the Limpopo club, Riveiro insisted that he will not be approaching this encounter as an opportunity to get back at the Carling Cup champions. 

“I think it is a different thing. It’s true personally it’s the team that eliminated us from this competition early. I think we just arrived 45 minutes late in the game. It was a difficult day, a strange one and I don’t see the opportunity now as kind of a revenge,” insisted the 49-year-old. 

The All-Stars coach further elucidated on Saturday’s mandate saying, “Saturday is an opportunity especially for the guys to offer a good show understanding that Magesi is a good definition of the word team. It’s a tough team to play against, but I am happy to represent these guys. We have on Saturday to give them the right space and the right platform to showcase their talent and skills.” 

The two-time Nedbank Cup-winning coach will spend the next three days on camp with a fan-selected squad of players from a range of PSL teams including five youngsters from the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC).