Riveiro: MTN 8 triumph no response to anyone

by Staff Reporter

Sunday Nov 06, 2022. 11:09

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has insisted that winning the MTN 8 isn’t a means of responding to the critics that labelled him a “plumber” upon his appointment in June.

The Spaniard arrived on South Africa’s shores as an unknown entity to many and faced a barrage of criticism from sections of the local footballing fraternity due to his lack of high-profile jobs.

Riveiro claimed the first trophy of his tenure on Saturday as the Buccaneers beat AmaZulu 1-0 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium to be crowned MTN 8 champions for the 11th time.

Monnapule Saleng continued his sparkling form for Pirates with the winner in the 25th minute to register his third goal in the competition, having scored a brace in the 3-0 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi-finals.

But instead of sticking it to his detractors, Riveiro chose to remain humble and expressed his gratitude to the club’s hierarchy for entrusting him with the task of bringing success to Mayfair.

“This is no response to anyone, I’m here to do my job and I’m a professional football coach and I’m prepared to do that job, that’s why I was handed the opportunity,” the 47-year-old said after the triumph in Durban.

“I’m just a coach at the club, there’s a lot of things that go into making a club a success, of course I have the responsibility and maybe I am in the spotlight but like I’ve said in the past, I cannot control the situation (critics) therefore I don’t spend time thinking about it.

“I just see this as a great opportunity to be part of this beautiful club and I also want to take the chance to thank my bosses for giving me an opportunity to represent a brand like Pirates.”