Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is hoping to close off what has been a successful season for his team and which could become even more successful as they push for a second trophy in Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final against Sekhukhune United at Loftus Stadium (18:00).
This has left the Spanish with gratitude for his team’s adaptation to him.
“As a coaching team we’ve been giving 100% to the process because we have been welcomed so warmly here and we are trying to pay that back with the professional work we do with passion,” Riveiro says of the dedication of his staff.
Riveiro’s installation in the side is evident as Pirates has already claimed one trophy in the MTN8 and secured CAF Champions League action next season with their second-place finish in the DStv Premiership.
“There is never just one reason behind a good season, especially in a complex football environment,” says Riveiro as he reflects on the journey they’ve been on.
“I think the quick adaptation from first the coaching staff and then the players has played a key role this season. The players have been very quick to understand what we are looking for.
“That synergy between the coaching staff and the players is the key. Football comes later. But our capacity to start working well together very early in the season and the possibility of an early success such as winning the MTN8 helped a lot in terms of the overall continuity of our project here.
“It’s about the capacity to have an eye in the future but also now in the present.”
Riveiro also identified a key approach in his coaching style this season.
“These are all very good players, and our obsession as coaches is to get them to play together effectively,” he said.
“That is what we put our time into. It’s not about playing the way I want to play. It’s about playing the best football we believe we can play with this particular group of players and finding ways to win games with this group.
“From there it’s easy to explain the game because it’s always in our minds, we’re always working on it and learning from other teams and other coaches.”
