CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP

Coach José Riveiro has had a topsy-turvy start to life at Orlando Pirates, but has secured silverware for the club in his maiden season

- Mazola Molefe

José Riveiro shot up the Twitter trends list before most of the South African football fraternity had even learnt how to say his name. Who was this surprise journeyman Orlando Pirates had picked as the permanent successor to another European coach in German-born Josef Zinnbauer?

A disappointing sixth-place finish under interim co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids in 2021/22 had forced The Buccaneers to look elsewhere, and they found a 45-yearold Spaniard who holds a UEFA Pro Licence. Naturally, the jury was still out.

But in four months, Riveiro had guided the Soweto giants to a trophy, winning the MTN8 in a tactical game of wits against AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium - it was not always pretty, but it certainly bought him time and credibility.

Much of the discontent from the supporters last season, even with Pirates reaching the final of the CAF Confederation Cup only to lose to RS Berkane of Morocco, was that they seldom played with conviction.