What Jose Riveiro has managed to do with Orlando Pirates since his arrival cannot be ignored and he deserves credit for the work he is doing with the Buccaneers.
Many times, foreign coaches have come to the PSL and have not always been able to make a mark, especially while in charge of the big clubs. But there is something special about what Riveiro is doing at Pirates and it certainly cannot be ignored.
Recently, Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza spoke about how Riveiro has taught him the power of silence. The Spaniard is not the type to say too much in the media. He prefers to do his talking on the field and it's benefitting the Buccaneers, who are in their third straight knockout competition final.
Since arriving in the PSL before the start of last season, Riveiro has led Pirates to the MTN8 final twice, as well as the Nedbank Cup finale. This is no easy feat. Yes, knockout competitions are not quite like a Premiership marathon, but they are also no walk in the park.
A league title race gives clubs second chances when they drop points now and again, but knockout competitions don't do that. You win or you are out. Simple as that. And the fact that Riveiro has managed to get Pirates to three knockout competition finals, with all the pressure that comes from working at the club, is quite impressive.
What's also impressive is how he has managed to get the players to fully believe in his philosophy and how they have given their way to working with him.
When they speak to the media, the Pirates players speak glowingly about the work Riveiro is doing behind the scenes and this can only benefit them in the long run, should he stay for a long time.
The challenge now is trying to balance the knockout competitions and the Premiership title race. The Buccaneers have let themselves down quite a bit in the league, dropping points in matches that they should have won. It was the same story last season and they ended up finishing far behind Sundowns.
If they win the MTN8 title in October, it should give them more confidence to push Sundowns for the league title because the Tshwane.
If there is one team capable of challenging Sundowns for the title, it's Pirates. They have enough depth and quality in the squad. They just need to be a lot more consistent and make sure that they do not fall too far behind Sundowns. If they keep themselves in the race, then anything is possible.
This is one of Pirates' most successful runs in the PSL era when it comes to knockout competitions and there is good reason for the supporters of the club to believe they can beat Sundowns in the final next month and then launch a serious challenge for the title. Their mentality throughout the season will be key to achieving this.
