It’s not really Riveiro giving them chances, it’s Pirates: coach on Bucs’ young guns

More new names of young players have appeared in Orlando Pirates' match-day squad and some featured in their past two Betway Premiership games against Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Lamontville Golden Arrows.

A major part of Pirates coach José Riveiro's success in his three years at Bucs — and especially this season as Pirates won a third successive MTN8 trophy, reached a Champions League semifinal and pushed for the Betway Premiership title — has been derived from the energy brought by talented young players.

Bucs can also add a third successive Nedbank Cup trophy if they beat Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday's final at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Relebohile Mofokeng, 20, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, 19, and Mohau Nkota, 20, have not just been regulars but star players for Pirates in 2024-2025. Striker Boitumelo Radiopane, 23, has featured less but scored a goal in 10 matches in all competitions in his first season back from two loan spells at Cape Town Spurs. Right-back Siyabonga Ndlozi, 22, has played seven league games.

In the past two matches two more of Bucs' emerging generation being produced from a youth system clearly showing results have seen first team action.

Winger Yanga Madiba, 23, started in Tuesday's 2-1 win against Lamontville Golden Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Central midfielder Simphiwe Selepe, 20, came off the bench having done the same in the win by the same scoreline in the league derby against Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Riveiro is resisting taking personal credit for giving so many young players a chance, saying this is part of a bigger project and vision for the club's future that includes the input of its management.

“It's not Riveiro giving them opportunities, it's Pirates,” the coach said after the win against Arrows.

“I'm not that coach who's coming here and doing things on my own. We're all part of a project. I'm the person you see sitting here every day and on the bench too, but there's much more going on.

“I'm doing my job as a coach to help those players be ready and when they're ready they're coming in and they're delivering now. There are a lot of things happening before the players come to me or to us as a coaching staff.

“I'm happy to work with these types of players and this type of talent. They're players who still want to be something in football and in sport. It's nice to be part of the beginning of many careers.

“It's special and memorable for the boys but it's also memorable for us as coaching staff, as a group and as a family. But again, it's not only me, it's Orlando Pirates and I've said that already 2,000 times.

“We have a clear vision and we know where we want to go as a club and we're trying to do the right things at the right moment. As a team we can be satisfied with that development.” 

If Pirates win on Saturday, Riveiro, who will leave the club at the end of the season, will make history becoming the first coach to win six successive derby matches in all competitions and will depart South Africa having won six domestic cup trophies. 

The 47-year-old Spaniard said he does not feel under pressure to field young players in every game now they have gained exposure and popularity.

“No, it's not a problem and it's not a headache,” said Riveiro about his options for Saturday's final after Karim Kimvuidi, another non-regular, was man-of-the-match against Arrows. 

“It's an opportunity for us to use our players and have resources and for Karim to be consistent the next time he gets a chance. That's the most important quality in a football player and in a football team.

“We cannot be 100% fair with a squad of 37 players. They have to be patient and keep working.”

Riveiro said among the reasons he did not play some regulars against Arrows was to rest them for Saturday's final.