After Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro clocked his century of games at the club with a new record, Soccer Laduma highlights the Spaniard's best achievements.
1. Cup pedigree
Riveiro has made Pirates a force to be reckoned with in cup tournaments, as he became the most successful coach, in terms of trophy haul at the club in the PSL era after he won his fifth trophy in two-and-half years, winning the MTN8 for a third time in a row, a first in the League.
2. Narrowing Sundowns gap
It's too early for Pirates to get carried away but after winning the first seven league games, Riveiro became the first ever coach to do so at the Buccaneers in the PSL history.
The Vigo native is the only coach to win seven league games in a row, at whatever point of the season, at the Soweto giants in the PSL era.
For the past few seasons, at least with a third of the season played, it was already a foregone conclusion that Mamelodi Sundowns would win the league.
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3. Improved attendance home and away
After winning five trophies in two and half seasons, the attendance in Pirates matches was always set to improve.
However, the Buccaneers' attacking style of play under Riveiro has also had to do with a marked improvement in the bums on seats following Ezimnyama's games.
At least at Orlando Stadium, Pirates used to average anything under 10 000 or just over that figure, for a normal PSL fixture but the number has seemingly tripled with the 'Spanish guitar' at the helm, apart from category A matches.
4. Rise of Monnapule Saleng
No one would have thought that Saleng, immediately loaned out to Moroka Swallows after he was bought from then National First Division side Free State Stars as a top-goalscorer in July 2021, would be such a prominent player at Pirates.
Riveiro got the best out of the 26-year-old left-footed attacker in his first season at the club and the North West native forward won the PSL Footballer of the Season in the 2022/23 campaign, among a number of personal accolades.
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5. Faith in Relebohile Mofokeng as a teenager
In the PSL, there are not many coaches, especially at big clubs, who are brave enough to make a teenage player a regular.
At only 20, Mofokeng has already played 55 matches for Pirates, with a return of ten goals and 12 assists and got himself a place in the Bafana Bafana squad.
