Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro could not believe that some of the Soweto giants appeared to be fed up at him, after they lost to Richards Bay in the Carling Knockout quarter-final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
Riveiro, who Pirates were expected to pick off and put up a big fight for the league chase to Mamelodi Sundowns looking at the squad depth, says it is unfair to judge him harshly on the recent results because they barely have a two-day training session.
The slog of games in the space of days has seen the Buccaneers stutter as they have failed to win in the last four matches in all competitions.
As they had many games in hand after playing four matches in the CAF Champions League, four in the MTN8 which they won the cup last month, they have won only two of eight matches played in the league, lying in an unfamiliar spot which is 13th in the DStv Premiership with nine points.
“I don’t have opinions of the fans, fans are fans,” said Riveiro, who has won the last three domestic cups since he was appointed in June last year but lost out right for the first time in a cup match to Bay on Saturday during the penalty shootouts.
“It is normal. We lost on Saturday and they must be upset. Are you sure that football fans are critical of the coach? Are you sure?
“Even when we win, the fans are going to be upset because I didn’t play this player, I didn’t play this one and everybody else has an opinion in football.
“Even you guys (the media you have opinions), but there is nothing I can do. The only thing that I can do is again sleep well, eat well, and recover (the players) because on Tuesday we have to compete again.
“On Sunday it was minus one (before the match today), think about it. Think about it. But we will try our best again.”
Pirates host manager-less Sekhukhune United at Orlando Stadium (19:30), who they crushed 5-0 in the MTN8 quarter-final before going all the way to defend the cup when they beat Sundowns on penalties in Durban.
Pirates also beat Sekhukhune to win the Nedbank Cup in May last season.
