Jose Riveiro's work at Orlando Pirates is not only appreciated by the followers of the club, but by arguably the greatest legend in the team's history too.
Riveiro is in the final year of his contract with the Buccaneers and has become the side's most successful foreign coach in knockout competitions, bagging four titles in his first two seasons. Now into his third campaign, the Spaniard has already booked a spot in a fifth knockout competition and is on the verge of becoming the first man to win three MTN8 titles on the trot.
Jomo Sono has kept an eye on the progress and what's impressed him the most is the fact that the Spaniard is not the type of coach who wants media attention. He goes about his business without wanting any validation from the public.
"He knows what he is doing. I think he is a very good coach. He is not a coach who is after publicity. He just wants to do his job and that's it," Sono said following the announcement of Jomo Cosmos' partnership with Lucas Batteries, a product of VT South Africa.
"You have coaches here...I know one in the NFD who is just a publicity coach. Some are not publicity coaches. They are doing their jobs. He has done a job, let's not take that away. We hope he stays, but knowing football, you can wake up tomorrow and he is gone. That's football. I am the only one who wakes up (and still has a job).
He's done well to get his hands on four domestic titles, but Riveiro cannot run away from the pressure of having to perform in the CAF Champions League. After getting knocked out in the qualifying rounds last season, he carries the heavy burden of having to make sure that the club is not watching the group stages from the couch like the rest of South Africa.
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To go all the way, Sono believes Pirates have to maintain the form they are in and show character.
"Yes, with the kind of form they have, I think they will go far. If they slump on that form, then they will be out. It all depends on the form," Sono said.
"You forget that Cosmos was the first (SA) team to reach the semi-finals. And those players moved to Pirates the following year and they won it. Some people forget, but you need to keep on reminding them before they die. You must want it. If you don't want it, don't go and play."
