“We are cooking! I think the progression, the evolution of the team, this season is superior to the last season, and I can say that we are not that far from the level of Mamelodi Sundowns.”
Those are the words of Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro, who has sent out a warning that there is more to come from his Sea Robbers.
This after Pirates successfully defended their Nedbank Cup crown when they walloped nemesis Sundowns 2-1 during their mouthwatering final at a sold out Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
Riveiro, who has now won back-to-back Nedbank Cup and MTN 8 trophies in two seasons, commended his side for the fight they put out against a Sundowns side that won the DStv Premiership with 23 points clear and almost ended it unbeaten.
Speaking to the media after the game, Riveiro said despite Sundowns continuing their dominance in the league, Pirates are making progress and are not far off from challenging for the league title.
“If you ask me as a person who’s involved in the group every single minute and I know what we are, what you used to say here ‘cooking’ … we are cooking,” Riveiro said.
“I think the progression, the evolution of the team, this season is superior to the last season in my opinion. I can say that we are not that far [off Sundown’s level].
“I don’t think that the difference between these two teams is 23 points…it is [23 points] that’s the reality but we can manage to compete, so it’s in our hands to keep this level of competitiveness week in week out, that’s the main thing we need to improve.
“We must teach ourselves that if we put everything in place, we can compete with, I don’t want to say the best one because they [Sundowns] are not the champions this season on the continent, but one of the best, for sure nobody has doubts about it and we can compete with them.
“In the long run, we didn’t show that we can do it and that’s what we need to learn from these days [referring to Saturday].”
The Buccaneers have now completed another domestic double under Riveiro and will be contesting in the CAF Champions League once again next season.
For Sundowns and coach Rulani Mokwena, it will be back to the drawing board as they have once again failed to deliver any of the three domestic trophies and fell short in the Champions League.
