Jose Riveiro will on Tuesday reach the milestone of 100 matches in charge of Orlando Pirates, bucking the club’s long-standing history of a quick turnover of coaches and remaining on course to become only the second ever to complete three seasons in charge.
The Betway Premiership clash at home to Richards Bay (live on SuperSport, 7.30pm kick off) will see him bring up his ton.
Riveiro’s 99 matches in charge have include five cup successes with an unprecedented three MTN8 trophies in a row plus double success in the last two Nedbank Cups.
He has also taken Pirates to the runners-up berth in the last two league seasons although they finished record margins adrift of champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
This season the club have already played 15 games across four competitions, starting the season with a club record-equaling six wins out of six, taking the MTN8 and reaching the group phase of the African Champions League.
They have won 12, drawn two and lost only to Magesi in the Carling Knockout first round with a total of 30 goals scored.
In total Riveiro’s 99 games in charge have seen Pirates net 162 goals, while conceding 67. He has a total of 60 wins, 20 draws and 19 defeats.
If Riveiro lasts the season … and there is no reason to suggest he will not do so, he will match the record three seasons that Ruud Krol was in charge.
Since Pirates were founder members of the National Professional Soccer League in 1971 – the forerunner of today’s Premier Soccer League – only the former Dutch World Cup captain has lasted three seasons at the helm of the club.
"The Team that wins the #MTN8 🏆 3X- They keep the Trophy" #CHAMPIIIONS #threepeat 🏆🏆🏆
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) October 5, 2024
⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/gCBVPGgiFW
The former Netherlands’ record international had been national team coach of Egypt before he joined the Sea Robbers. He would become the first coach in Pirates’ history to last more than two seasons in charge and in his third season they won the league in 2011, only for Krol to not have his contract renewed.
The 47-year-old Riveiro, who hails from Vigo in Spain, arrived as an unknown from Finnish football to take over at the Buccaneers after a season where Fadlu Davis and Mandla Ncikazi were in charge as a result of the abrupt departure of the German coach Joe Zinnbauer.
Riveiro revealed himself as a cautious operator, taking time to get structure and discipline into his side and also to understand the South African footballing landscape.
He refused at first to speak about individual players to the irritations of reporters but has over the last year become more confident in dealing with the media.
On the pitch, his sides have also begun to show a much steelier edge after two seasons where they showed potential but then got bogged down by inconsistency.
Pirates have looked much more clinical in the new campaign and are leading the league standings.
“We are going to work to make history together and build a team we are all proud of. I don’t spend time thinking about what people say about me. My work must do the talking for me,” he said.
Pirates recently revealed closely guarded details of Riveiro’s family situation for the first time in an appreciation post that they pinned on their website.
It said that Riveiro had made “a personal sacrifice” for the success of Pirates.
“The emotional strain was evident after the recent MTN8 victory against Stellenbosch. As the final whistle blew, cameras captured a poignant moment: Riveiro crouched down, tears streaming from his eyes. These were not just tears of joy but also a reflection of the immense personal sacrifices he has made, many of which remain hidden from public view,” said the club.
“What many don’t know, for two long years, Riveiro has been separated from his wife and young daughter, enduring the isolation of distance while shouldering the weight of leading a football giant like Orlando Pirates.
“The mental toll of working away from family, compounded by the unrelenting demands of top-level coaching, would have broken many. Yet Riveiro has persevered, driven by a profound sense of duty to the club and its supporters.
“In the face of adversity, Riveiro has remained the epitome of selflessness. His commitment to this institution and its success has never wavered, even at the expense of his own personal well-being,” it added.