Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has forecasted a highly competitive Betway Premiership title race this season.
The Buccaneers coach also emphasised that it is not solely the responsibility of his team to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns’ long-standing dominance.
“It is our third season together [with Pirates]. We know how difficult it is to finish at the top in a league dominated by one team for the last seven years,” Riveiro remarked at the Betway Premiership launch in Sandton this week.
He added, “So, it’s everyone’s responsibility in the competition, in my opinion, to make the league more competitive and have more teams fighting for the title. That’s what I think will happen. We have much better sides this season, better squads. The competition looks more balanced.”
Last season, the Sea Robbers accumulated 50 points, trailing champions Sundowns by 23 points. Riveiro stated their goal is to surpass their previous performance, aiming to collect more points and potentially claim the title. “In our case, we want to finish better than last time, in terms of the football we want to play and the points we want to collect,” he said.
Addressing concerns about squad depth, Riveiro commented, “Forty-two [players they have], what do you think? We don’t have problems in terms of numbers, and we don’t have problems in terms of quality in the squad.”
Pirates have demonstrated promising form during preseason and are on track to win their third consecutive MTN8 title, having reached the final where they will face Stellenbosch on October 5.
Riveiro also highlighted the impact of the fans, saying, “It’s a privilege for us to have the fan base we have. Seeing them recently coming to stadiums in huge numbers makes a difference because they are in a good space with the team right now. If we can manage to keep them close to us for the whole season, we will benefit for sure.”
This season, the Sea Robbers will compete in five tournaments: the MTN8, the CAF Champions League, the domestic league, the Carling Knockout, and the Nedbank Cup. Despite the busy schedule, Riveiro is confident in his squad’s ability to handle the demands.
“Forty-two [players they have], what do you think? We don’t have problems in terms of numbers, and we don’t have problems in terms of quality in the squad. We have more than enough players. We will, indeed, play a lot of games, but it’s the same thing all over the world. Big teams are playing many games,” he concluded.