+18 | Commercial Content | T&C's Apply | Play Responsibly | Publishing Principles
Jose Riveiro, Orlando PiratesBackpage
Kiplagat Sang

Former Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela claims if Jose Riveiro had stayed 'Bucs would have gone down' as former Al Ahly coach 'was really tired'

The Spaniard left the Sea Robbers after three years, and the club's skipper says it was a good decision for both parties. Although he has been described as a tired figure by the end of last season, he went on to coach African giants Al Ahly straight away after leaving the Bucs, which saw him getting sacked after just seven games in charge.

  • Jose Riveiro, Orlando Pirates, May 2025Backpage

    Did Riveiro make best decision by leaving Pirates?

    Former Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela has claimed it was time for Jose Riveiro to leave the Premier Soccer League heavyweights.

    Maela, who also left Bucs after the conclusion of last season, said the tactician was visibly tired, and his exit could be a blessing for the Sea Robbers.

    • Advertisement
  • Innocent Maela, Orlando Pirates,Backpagepix

    Tired Riveiro

    "His energy – you could see that he was tired. For me personally, if he continued, I think the club would have gone down (the table) instead of going up," Maela told Lemii LoCo on the Sports YouTube Channel.

    "You could just tell he was really tired. I don't think his staying would have been good for the team, in my opinion, because I worked with him and saw him every day."

    "He needed to stay away. It was beginning to be too much. I know people are saying, 'Give him two more years,' but I don't think he had it in him, because the coach demands a lot. It's not easy."

  • Jose Riveiro, Orlando PiratesBackpage

    'One of the best'

    Maela also showered Riveiro with praise, ranking him as one of the best to have been in charge at the club.

    "I think he was tired; he felt like he had done enough for the club. He works hard, very hard. I was the captain; I was close to him. He felt like he needed a new challenge somewhere else," he added.

    "He felt like he had already exhausted all his energy in the team; I mean, he succeeded. Let's give it to him; I think he's one of the best coaches in the history of Orlando Pirates. He just left; we still love him wherever he is," the ex-Pirates skipper added.

    • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Mohau Nkota and Relebohile Mofokeng, Orlando PiratesBackpage

    Shock exit

    Riveiro's departure was greeted with some shock, especially by the Pirates' fan base, simply because the Spaniard oversaw a successful three-season stint with the Soweto giants.

    The tactician was also a fan favourite, and his tenure saw the emergence of key players for the Buccaneers. Mohau Nkota, who left before this season began, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, and Relebohile Mofokeng as the youngsters who flourished under Riveiro.

    Although he did not last at his next club, Al Ahly, his disappointing short spell in Egypt cannot override what he managed to achieve in South Africa.

0