Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says now that the season is over, he is looking forward to seeing his friends, spending time with his family and going to the beach.
He spoke after winning the Nedbank Cup at Loftus Versfeld last week. And for a coach who had just won his second trophy in his first season in a very difficult and competitive league, he did not smile, and he did not show any signs of bliss and joy – he still kept his trademark straight face.
We (the media) have become used to his poker-faced demeanour in the 11 months he has spent as the Bucs coach – it does not mean anything, really.
But what was apparent was that he looked a bit tired. He really looked like a man who was relieved the final whistle had been blown and that he could start thinking about his native Spain and his family. Riveiro has had an exhausting season and he could do with some rest.
Such a free time and cooling-off period is well deserved but while he is chilling, enjoying the picturesque Spanish beaches and the warm-summer Mediterranean ambiance, he may already want to think about a strategy to dislodge Mamelodi Sundowns from the top of the South African football mountain. That will surely be his biggest project, come next season.
What he has been able to do is that he has given the Buccaneers lots of hope that the glory days could be coming back, and it is just a matter of getting over the hill. Bucs fans have not been as excited in many years, with exciting players such as Monnapule Saleng, Thembinkosi Lorch, Paseka Mako, Kermit Erasmus, Thabang Monare, Kabelo Dlamini, Phillip Ndlondlo and Relebohile Ratomo.
The Buccaneers also have Vincent Pule, Ben Motshwari, Fortune Makaringe, Goodman Mosele, Deon Hotto, Evidence Makgopa and Eva Nga on the bench, so they cannot be faulted for believing that they can end Sundowns’ dominance, even if it’s a bit far-fetched at this stage.
Bucs fans haven’t displayed such arrogance and bravado since the days of Dutch Delight Ruud Krol, who brought trebles to the once trophy-starving Sea Robbers’ ship.
They adore Riveiro so much so they went as far as vouching for the Spaniard to pip Rulani Mokwena for the Coach of the Season gongs at the PSL Awards.
They want the criteria for the Coach of the Season award to be revisited and reviewed because they feel their amigo was hard done by. They reckon that Pirates was more successful than Sundowns because Riveiro lifted the MTN8, the Nedbank Cup and got the club a ticket to the CAF Champions League – all in his maiden season in the PSL.
So, a lot will be expected of the Spaniard as Pirates venture in their African safari after a long hiatus. Die-hard Pirates supporters will do anything to get their second CAF star before Sundowns because that it will give them bragging rights over their wealthy cheeseboys from Pretoria – and maybe that will put a bit of a smile on Riveiro’s face.
The Shawshank Redemption, one of the most beautifully scripted movies of all times, tell us that: “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies…”
The Buccaneers are without a doubt hoping that their fortunes will change next season.
