Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro said he was confident the club would “move to the next level” next season despite his departure, saying he was pleased with the rapid progress of “the project”.
Riveiro took charge of his last game for the club on Tuesday as they beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 3-0 to solidify second place in the Betway Premiership.
The 47-year-old Spaniard has been given permission to leave before the end of his contract, with four league matches still to play after requesting permission to join a new, as yet unidentified, club.
He is expected to depart South Africa on Wednesday after a fitting send off on Tuesday at the Orlando Stadium.
“The improvement of the team, the improvement of the club, the improvement of the players and the speed that this project is getting right now, is something that I feel proud about,” Riveiro said at his final press conference.
“I’m already excited about the future of the team for the next season, and I'm going to be observing, looking from a distance, and I'm sure that the team is make it to the next level.”
Riveiro said the experience of working in South Africa had changed his outlook and way of thinking.
“It's important to collect trophies, to win games and to improve the team, it goes without saying, but in the end, for me, it's about … I’ve said already to the boys, I said in the media as well, that being here for three years in this club, in this context, in this country, has been a game changer for me.
“When I say that my life is not going to be the same anymore, it's because of (Pirates). I came from the other side of the world, the world that I knew, the world that I grew up in and I came here with a view of the world but now I have a totally different (view), not with the full capacity, but some capacity to look at life with your eyes, not only with my eyes,” he added.
“I think that I can say that I'm a better person than three years ago. I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with a fantastic group of players. Not only this season, the previous seasons as well, to share a lot of moments, quality moments with them and with the coaching staff as well.
“The opportunity to know about different realities and cultures is something that enriches us as a people. I tried to not just being here, do my job, get my salary, and that's it,” Riveiro said.