Following their Nedbank Cup defeat to Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs over the weekend, Orlando Pirates have made a big announcement regarding head coach Jose Riveiro.
The Buccaneers have confirmed that the Spaniard will be on the bench one last time when they face Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday evening, granting him permission to leave the club before the end of the season.
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In recent weeks, Pirates have suffered some heavy defeats. They were knocked out of the CAF Champions League in the semi-finals when they were in a good position to secure a win on away goals and then dropped valuable points which all but handed Sundowns the Premiership title. To make matters worse, they were beaten 2-1 by rivals Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup final played at Moses Mabhida Stadium this past weekend.
Despite the disappointment suffered in recent weeks, Riveiro will be remembered for the trophies he won and the youngsters he introduced in the first team along the way.
In a statement, Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza said: “Jose approached us a few weeks ago with a request to be released from his contract ahead of schedule, having signed with a new club.
“Given the timing; amidst a series of crucial fixtures – we believed it was best to delay this announcement until after the Nedbank Cup final. His contribution since joining the Club has been immense. We learned a lot from him, and he learned a lot from us.
“While we would have preferred to formally honour him with a proper send-off, we fully respect his decision to depart before the end of his tenure.”
READ: Riveiro's Plan Disrupted By Nabi: 'It's Not Easy'
After the Arrows match, assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi will take charge until the end of the season. He will be supported by head performance analyst Rayaan Jacobs, as well as the rest of the technical team.
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