‘He works very hard’: Ncikazi credits Riveiro for Orlando Pirates’ rise

Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has praised the relationship he's developed with head coach Jose Riveiro, saying it has helped enabled the club attain the positive results they have had since the Spaniard's appointment in June 2022.

Ncikazi has spent over four years at Pirates, joining them as an assistant in August 2021 and becoming a co-head coach with Fadlu Davids in 2021-2022 before the arrival of Riveiro. He was speaking to the media ahead of the sold-out Betway Premiership Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

With Riveiro, the former Lamontville Golden Arrows head coach has won five domestic cup competitions with Pirates and Bucs twice finished as runners-up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the league.

It is, however, the 2024-25 campaign in which the duo's combination is promising to yield even more, having started far better than usual in the league compared to slow starts in the last two campaigns; and Bucs have also won the MTN and reached the Caf Champions League quarterfinals.

Ncikazi gives credit to Riveiro for giving everyone, including young players such as Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota, a chance to showcase their skills in the senior team.

“Generally, any system that has got time behind it is always better,” Ncikazi said of Riveiro's success with Bucs, where the coach is now in his third season.

“You look at Stellenbosch FC with Steve Barker, where he started and where he is now. All teams that have kept the technical team the longest tend to perform better.

“The coach and I have a very professional relationship. I can talk to him about having a professional approach. He's very accommodating to the young players.

“He works very hard, arrives here [at Bucs' training ground at Rand Stadium] at 8am. He's a professional coach who has taught all of us in South Africa that professional coaching doesn't necessarily mean two hours — it means coming from the morning.

“The adaptation of two of us and understanding of what happens in Africa and him bringing the European mentality has worked well for the club.

“I give him my support to the best of my ability; he's open and we share ideas where they need to be, and I think it's working for the club.”

Pirates won in back-to-back derbies last season. Ncikazi insisted there's nothing special Bucs are planning for Chiefs, who trail them by six points. 

“There's been so many competitions that club has been involved in. If you were to try to look at that dynamic, I think you'll lose focus.

“What helps the team is to stay focused, looking at the next match, analyse the opponent, prepare who is ready to play and perform and try to win the match.

“In Kaizer Chiefs we see a team that is an opponent that we need points from, and we're just going there to try to get three points. Where the points are taken is something else that has not been calculated. For us it's about try to play and try to win the next match.

“The margin between the two teams is narrow. Defensively we're almost similar, chance creation we're similar but the only difference is on goals conceded. They've conceded more [16] but any other stats are almost the same.

“The margins are not as big except for the log positions and the goals conceded. We'll try to focus on what we think we're doing better than them.

“But again, we must remember it's a derby- form and records don't apply. It's what happens on the day [that counts] and we'll try to focus on our performances so we can get a result.”

Ncikazi appreciates the trust Riveiro has shown in the club's young guns and doesn't see them being overwhelmed by the occasion of the Soweto derby, having played big matches this season on the continent.

“It's impressive what our team has done. In one match we played seven DDC [Dstv Diski Challenge under-23 league] players and the opponents [Chiefs] are doing the same. For me I will say the experience they [the young players] have gathered from us playing in the Champions League and against the biggest teams in Africa, I think it's enough experience.

“I don't see them being overshadowed by the moment. We believe in them and the coach trusts them. If given an opportunity I'm sure they'll perform.”