MAHLATSE MPHAHLELE | José Riveiro says adios to Pirates with head held high

Sometimes sport enjoys laughing in the face of a fairy-tale ending. 

Orlando Pirates coach José Riveiro was meant to leave triumphantly at the end of the season, but the sporting gods ripped his farewell script apart as they were eliminated from the Champions League, Nedbank Cup and are underdogs in the Betway Premiership. 

When Pirates announced last month the 47-year-old Spaniard would renew his three-year contract at the end of the season, they were still in contention in the Champions League, Nedbank and the league.

Fast forward to today, they are only left in the league title race, but only mathematically. Bucs are overwhelming underdogs because Mamelodi Sundowns need one point from their remaining two matches for a record-extending eighth championship.

As a result of what has happened over the past few weeks, the much talked about “last dance” for Riveiro has turned into something of a nightmare. But judging his three-year term as a whole, he deserves a lot of respect and a proper farewell for the amazing work he has done at Pirates. 

Riveiro, who arrived in the country to unfair ridicule by certain sections of media and fans because he was an unknown here, will sit on the bench for the last time in Tuesday's league clash against Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium. The coach proved a lot of people wrong and Pirates' supporters must create a carnival atmosphere at their home ground to bid farewell to one of the best coaches to work in South Africa in recent history.   

When the referee blows the final whistle after the Arrows match and Riveiro exits the stage, he will do so with his head held high because of the profound effect he has had on the Buccaneers. 

High on the list of achievements are the three successive MTN8 and two successive Nedbank Cup trophies, making for five of the eight domestic cup trophies on offer in his three-year-tenure; and taking to the club to the semifinals of this season's Champions League. Bucs were runners-up to Sundowns in the past two seasons and are set to be again this campaign.

It is worth remembering before Rivero's arrival Bucs had won one trophy in six seasons.

Pirates supporters will remember the calm Spaniard fondly for the way he improved players such as Thabiso Sesane, Monnapule Saleng, Makhehlene Makhaula, Thalente Mbatha, Mohau Nkota and Relebohile Mofokeng. In addition to Mofokeng and Nkota, both 20, he will be remembered for showing faith in younger players including Mbekezeli Mbokazi, 19, Simphiwe Selepe, 20, Boitumelo Radiopane, 22, and Siyabonga Ndlozi, 22. 

The other person who must have benefited a lot from working closely with Riveiro is assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi, who takes over as caretaker until the end of the season. 

There was also that memorable league match early last year when Pirates produced a stunning display of ruthlessness to thrash Golden Arrows 7-1 at Orlando Stadium.

When he arrived at Pirates, they were stuck in a web of underachievement and he transformed the club into cup kings and strong contenders in the league and the Champions League. 

To make sense of Riveiro's huge effect at the club, you need to experience the vibrant atmosphere at Orlando Stadium now, which is possibly the best home ground in the country, and which makes Pirates difficult to beat in Soweto. Even under the popular stewardship of Milutin Sredojević and Rulani Mokwena in the late 2000s, the crowds never swelled like they have under Riveiro. Bringing 'the Ghost' — Bucs' supporters nickname — back in numbers is one of his most notable achievements at Pirates.

With all the successes, there are things Riveiro will admit could have turned out better — such as the failure to win the league title and when they were dumped out of the preliminary stages of the Champions League by Botswana minnows Jwaneng Galaxy in 2023-24. 

While Riveiro finished second to Sundowns in the past two campaigns, it was by huge 16-and 23-point margins. This campaign, Pirates, young and talented but not possessing Downs' immense depth or even the same awesome player power, pushed the Brazilians far closer. While Riveiro had less room for rotation of players and options when top stars needed a rest, his team kept pace with a Brazilians combination who win almost every game in the Premiership. 

On a personal level, Riveiro is a reserved and humble human being who hardly showed emotion, even under difficult situations, and who earned respect from his players, opposition coaches and supporters. Because of his quiet demeanour, he could be difficult for media during press conferences as he never wanted to talk much, and resisted commenting on individual players. 

Yours truly had a rare opportunity to interview Riveiro last year and in that setting he was relaxed and engaging and was open about his journey in football and how he found South Africa. In that interview, Riveiro spoke about the complex nature of his personality where he has chosen a path to work as a coach in the full glare of the media despite being shy and reserved. 

He taught me what I now talk about, the power of silence. You can see he is a modest person and he doesn’t talk much. And I remember talking about it — work hard in silence and let the result be your success.

—  Irvin Khoza

In one of the few occasions when Pirates chair Irvin Khoza spoke about Riveiro, he praised the Spaniard for his quiet manner and for allowing his work to do the talking. 

“He taught me what I now talk about, the power of silence. You can see he is a modest person and he doesn’t talk much. And I remember talking about it — work hard in silence and let the result be your success,” Khoza said in 2023 about the coach. “He is a hard worker behind the scenes, but you won’t see it because he is of a demeanour that is belying his fortitude, his attitude in his work ethics.” 

It would have been more fitting for Riveiro to leave at the end of the season with a Champions League, Nedbank Cup or league title winners' medal packed in his suitcase, but it was not to be and that must not diminish his achievements at the club. 

As he makes his farewell lap around Orlando Stadium on Tuesday, possibly with tears rolling down his cheeks, he will be saying adios to the Buccaneers faithful with the knowledge he has left an indelible mark on the club. 

It’s just a pity the sporting gods did not afford him the fairy-tale ending he truly deserves.