“Jose has done fantastically well this season in the strides he's made at a club like Pirates, creating identity as well. He's the type of coach we should have in the PSL in adding quality and helping our development in South Africa.
“Pirates now play with the identity of attacking football and that's how you want football to be played. They also have a striker's coach and they work well with coach Mandla [Ncikazi]).
“They've (Pirates) made strides there as far as coaches coming to the country, he's not just adding numbers.”
But the accolades don't mean Truter and his side will roll over for Pirates when they clash in Saturday's final — a historic day for Sekhukhune who are only completing a second season in the PSL and playing in their first final.
“I've said we're underdogs,” admitted Truter. “Everything is in Pirates' corner, but being underdogs also releases a bit of pressure. We'll go there without pressure and I think all the pressure is on Pirates to win another cup.
“For us it's about the occasion and being underdogs, we welcome the tag as well.
“Luckily for me I have some internationals in the team. Badrea Sangare from Ivory Coast, Rodrick Kabwe from Zambia, [Daniel] Cardoso, [Edwin] Gyimah [Ghana]. These are some of the players who've played at the highest level and competed in very big games. International games and cup finals as well.
“Those are the guys who're controlling the atmosphere with myself and some senior players as well. This is not just about the coach, players play their part as well.
“The magnitude of the match is different to the league and we'll have to get the right mentality. We have to remain focused, this is the last game of the season.”
'Riveiro has created identity at Pirates': Sekhukhune's Truter gushes before Nedbank Cup final
Image: Veli Nhlapo
Sekhukhune United coach Brandon Truter has heaped praise on his counterpart Jose Riveiro of Orlando Pirates before their teams' showdown in the Nedbank Cup final at Loftus Stadium on Saturday.
Spaniard Riveiro joined Pirates at the beginning of the 2022-2023 season after spending eight years coaching teams (FC Honka, PK-35, HJK and Inter Turku) in the Finnish top-flight league.
Pirates confirmed finishing second on the DStv Premiership table last weekend, adding to the MTN8 trophy they won early in the season. Saturday's final presents a chance for Riveiro to win a second trophy in his debut season with Pirates and Truter said the former junior coach at Celta Vigo deserves to be where he is.
“Jose has done fantastically well this season in the strides he's made at a club like Pirates, creating identity as well. He's the type of coach we should have in the PSL in adding quality and helping our development in South Africa.
“Pirates now play with the identity of attacking football and that's how you want football to be played. They also have a striker's coach and they work well with coach Mandla [Ncikazi]).
“They've (Pirates) made strides there as far as coaches coming to the country, he's not just adding numbers.”
But the accolades don't mean Truter and his side will roll over for Pirates when they clash in Saturday's final — a historic day for Sekhukhune who are only completing a second season in the PSL and playing in their first final.
“I've said we're underdogs,” admitted Truter. “Everything is in Pirates' corner, but being underdogs also releases a bit of pressure. We'll go there without pressure and I think all the pressure is on Pirates to win another cup.
“For us it's about the occasion and being underdogs, we welcome the tag as well.
“Luckily for me I have some internationals in the team. Badrea Sangare from Ivory Coast, Rodrick Kabwe from Zambia, [Daniel] Cardoso, [Edwin] Gyimah [Ghana]. These are some of the players who've played at the highest level and competed in very big games. International games and cup finals as well.
“Those are the guys who're controlling the atmosphere with myself and some senior players as well. This is not just about the coach, players play their part as well.
“The magnitude of the match is different to the league and we'll have to get the right mentality. We have to remain focused, this is the last game of the season.”
For Truter, who appeared for the first time in the top league in South African football when he promoted Swallows FC to the Premiership in 2019-2020, being in the final as head coach of Sekhukhune is a huge personal milestone.
“It will rank as an objective achieved,” said Truter.
“I remember at the beginning of the season [when he was AmaZulu FC coach] when I said Caf spot and when I said cup final, some of you guys [media] laughed at me.
“I don't want to blow my own horn, but in progression as a coach, this [final] stands out as an achievement. I hope it's not the last. For now it's my first cup final. I've been close a few times and, ya, let's thank God that at this moment I'm there.”
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