Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has expressed his feelings about the club keeping the MTN8 trophy.
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Pirates went into the MTN8 final as record winners of the tournament under current sponsors with three titles. Prior to the final against AmaZulu, the telecommunications giant announced that should Pirates extend their record to four titles, they will keep the trophy. In the same breath, MTN cautioned that should Usuthu win, the trophy will go back to the PSL offices after announcing that a new design will be made for next season.
The Sea Robbers went on to beat Usuthu and have been given the honour to keep the trophy for good.
Riveiro, who secured his first silverware in his first few months at the club says that the Buccaneers will have a special place in his heart, whatever happens in future.
"Obviously, very special, I'm a Buccaneer since four months ago, Once, Always, I'm going to be, whatever happens," Riveiro told journalists in a press conference.
"My time here at Pirates is always going to be special for me but at the same time I understand what it means for many people, who work at the club, who is really, you know behind the brand, behind the badge. So I know what it means for them. Every person who is working with us in the staff, almost everyone, Pirates fans," he said.
"So you can feel it and I know (for) our management how important it's going to be - this trophy as well. So I'm very glad to be part of this small piece of Pirates history," he added.
Read: How Chiefs Derby Loss Shaped MTN8 Triumph For Pirates
Pirates have a special affinity with the MTN8 trophy, as it kick-started their famous 'Double Treble' winning seasons in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 campaigns under former coaches Ruud Krol and Julio Cesar Leal, respectively.
The Soweto giants also ended a six-year trophy drought in 2020 after winning the same trophy under former mentor Josef Zinnbauer.
Kaizer Chiefs were the inaugural winners of the MTN trophy in the current design in 2008, which will stay in the Pirates cabinet, with a new iteration to be introduced next season by the same company.
