Article written by @ThisIsSizweM
Having announced a new coach about a week ago, Orlando Pirates have done it again, surprising the media and football fans with their new head coach using their tactic of playing their cards close to their chest. It was a common knowledge that Pirates was looking for the new coach following the departure of Fadlu Davids who was the team’s co-head coach alongside Mandla Ncikazi. Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Kaizer Junior were amongst those who were surprised.
With the availability of well experienced local coaches like Pitso Mosimane, Cavin Johnson, Gavin Hunt, Dan Malesela, and fans favourite Benni McCarthy, many expected Pirates to announce at least one of them. However, it is often hard to guess Pirates when it comes to a coach who is likely to join them.
This time around its not a German machine or a Swedish plumber, but a Spaniard coach José Riveiro who is not only new in the PSL, but new in Africa as well and not much is known about him besides that he is another foreign coach.
A Finnish football expert Vesa Rautio described the new Orlando Pirates head coach as a modern coach who can play technical, tactical and fast football.
"FC Inter Turku wanted to have a modern manager who wanted to play technical and tactical, fast football, and ended up signing José Riveiro."
“Riveiro has been touted as ‘a scientist’ as he is always looking for ways to improve the team’s game by concentrating on small details, trying to get rid of any possible issue found. His background staff are pretty good at this too, and that’s probably why Riveiro brought them to Pirates too".
“They’re a pretty well-oiled machine, having already spent many years together. I have no idea what kind of style of play Pirates used to have, but if Riveiro gets the players to understand where he is aiming with all the details, he probably will make the team better".
“Naturally he’ll need some time to get to know the players and their skill sets before he chooses which of his preferred tactics to use. With Inter Turku he usually played a 3-4-3 formation, which was quite dynamic. If Pirates give him time he will prevail, I’m sure about it.” added Vesa Rautio
Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Yanga Baliso who featured for Pargas IF and IFK Mariehamn in Finland over the past two years, gave his assessment of the incoming Pirates coach, his style of play that he brought in the Finland league.
“First of all, Inter is one of the very big teams, so I don’t think he’s someone who won’t know how to handle the egos and everything you know, but the players in Europe are different from the players in South Africa when it comes to egos and personalities you know”.
“I think he’s a very good coach, he knows what he’s doing, of course, he’s Spanish, his style is to be aggressive on the attack and I think he walks into a good team, there are good players at Pirates it just needs a little bit of luck so things can click in together”.
"Riveiro oversaw 102 games with Inter between January 2019 and December 2021, leading them to 56 wins, 13 draws and 33 defeats in the process. He left the country with a sterling reputation despite not winning any major trophy, but the same measure of judgement does not await him in South Africa, especially at a club where the fanbase no longer has the patience for another rebuilding project; results, silverware is immediately expected which makes his arrival all the more fascinating", source.
