Spanish coach Jose Riveiro has shared insight on his high-profile move to Egyptian side Al-Ahly and his time with Orlando Pirates.
The move came after a successful three-year spell with the Sea Robbers, where he lifted five trophies and led them to the semi-finals of the recently concluded CAF Champions League. He oversaw 131 games, recorded 82 victories, 22 draws and suffered 27 losses.
Riveiro was announced on 29 May as the new coach of the Red Devils. He said he anticipated his announcement to be received with mixed feelings, as the club has a large following.
“I was sure there would be a lot of uproar, of course due to the fact that Al-Ahly is a big club at the top of the continent in football,” he said in an interview with Al-Ahly TV.
“Al-Ahly holds a special place in my heart, especially when I came to play with Al-Ahly through a South African team [Orlando Pirates]. I’ve been here twice, and I saw how the Al-Ahly fans are. A very large fan base that follows the club in every way. This gave me a great understanding of the club’s stature.”
Not much was known about the Spanish tactician when he was announced as the new Buccaneers coach in July 2022. Critics went as far as calling him the ‘Spanish Plumber’, a term that is used to describe coaches who are yet to make a mark in their managerial career.
Riveiro reflected on his time with the Soweto giants and the difficulties he faced while trying to build the team. He achieved success in integrating young players from DDC to the senior team, notable names include Relebohile Mofokeng, Mohau Nkota, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and most recently Simphiwe Selepe. The four have gone on to receive national team call-ups.
“My time at Orlando Pirates has given me a lot of value. The idea at Orlando Pirates is that we weren’t coaching a team but running a project to train an entire team, to build a team full of youngsters,” the coach continued.
“It was a difficult three years, but I learned a lot. I was able to win more than three titles, and I was able to participate in the African Championship [CAF Champions League] and reach the final stages of the tournament more than once.
“Through Orlando Pirates, I was able to help many young players become stars on the African continent. This was, of course, because they were qualified. First and foremost, because I applied scientific training to them, and the technical staff helped me in that, assistance from the club’s management, who had a vision of how to create a generation of young people capable of competing in all African championships,” Riveiro concluded.
The 47-year-old has a tough task ahead of him of keeping the club on the winning having recently clinched the Egyptian Premier League. They experienced a lacklustre CAF campaign that ended in the quarterfinals.
His first task will be to lead the team in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, starting on 15 June in the United States of America. They are set to kickstart the tournament with Inter Miami.