Where did Jose Riveiro go wrong in Egypt? Ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach issues late suggestion, 'He should have called Pitso Mosimane, Al Ahly are not like coaching Orlando Pirates'

Jose Riveiro was earlier this week fired by Al Ahly after spending four months at the club.

The axe fell on former Orlando Pirates coach after managing just one win, four draws and two defeats while in charge of the Cairo giants at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and Egyptian Premier League.

Former Al Ahly assistant coach Cavin Johnson feels Riveiro should have consulted Pitso Mosimane - who used to coach the Egyptian heavyweights - to have a deeper understanding of the role he was in. 

“Before he [Riveiro] went there, Ahly didn’t win the Champions League, so going to that team is always difficult,” Johnson told FARPost.

“You must play Champions League every season and play to win it, and also, you cannot lose to a team like Pyramids FC because that team is not even 10 years old.

“There is always pressure to win everything in that club, but I think when we were there, Pitso managed that very well because he came with his whole technical team. I don’t think Riveiro went with anyone, which can be a problem," added the former Kaizer Chiefs coach.

“So the best thing that Riveiro should have done is to call Pitso Mosimane to understand what he’s getting himself into. Coaching Al Ahly is not like coaching Pirates, yes Pirates is a big team, but Al Ahly is a club of a century, those things matter.”

At Al Ahly, Riveiro was a completely different environment than the one he was used to at Pirates.

He failed to break Mamelodi Sundowns' dominance of the Premier Soccer League for three seasons, but the Buccaneers still had faith in him.

In Egypt, he succeeded Marcel Koller who had won back-to-back CAF Champions League titles with Al Ahly and got fired following last season's semi-final elimination by Sundowns.

The Al Ahly job was Riveiro's second job in Africa and it is to be seen if he still remains on the continent.

Having impressed in the PSL, South African clubs looking for a new coach might consider offering him a route back into Mzansi football.