Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi has congratulated Jose Riveiro on his trophy-laden spell at Orlando Pirates. The Spaniard has bid farewell to Pirates and South African football.
On Tuesday night, Riveiro signed off his three-year stint with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Arrows in a Betway Premiership clash at a buzzing Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
While Riveiro’s next destination remains a mystery, the mentor has been linked with a move to African giants Al Ahly.
Speaking to the media after the game, Mngqithi praised Riveiro for the excellent job he has done at the Soweto giants over the past three years.
“I think we must congratulate coach Jose for his stay at Pirates, I think he did exceptionally well. He got them so many trophies, I think he got five, and that for me is very good,” Mngqithi said.
Riveiro leaves a remarkable legacy behind after leading the Buccaneers to three MTN8 titles in a row and back-to-back Nedbank Cup trophies.
He also helped the side finish as the runners-up in the league three times in a row and saw their Caf Champions League campaign end in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, coach Mngqithi said they lost the match because they couldn’t be at their best, and failed to create enough opportunities to trouble Pirates.
“When we went for a medium block, we were hoping to create situations from counterattacks, but in our counterattacks, we made far too many mistakes,” Mngqithi said.
“The energy in our counter pressures and transitions from defence to attack was not at the level that I expected, and that was a bit concerning for me because a team had improved tremendously in that regard.”
Abafana Bes’thende will hope for a positive outcome in their league clash against Richards Bay FC at Durban’s King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday.
They remain three points above the relegation playoffs spot. They are on 26 points with three matches to play.
