Orlando Pirates are in good hands with Riveiro - Alonso

• Riveiro was appointed at Pirates in June
• He has already won the MTN8 title
• Spaniard wants to end the long wait for the PSL title

WHAT HAPPENED? Marcos Alonso, a former colleague of Riveiro at Celta Vigo says Pirates are in “good hands” with the Spaniard at the helm. Riveiro took up the Pirates job in June, in a surprise move for a coach who had never worked in Africa and his name had never been heard in South Africa. His appointment saw the Buccaneers abolish the co-coaching set-up they had with Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids.

With Riveiro arriving in the Premier Soccer League as an unknown figure, his former colleague says the Spaniard has everything to succeed at the Bucs.

WHAT ALONSO SAID: “I only have to say all the best to him, the team is in good hands and he only needs time to demonstrate how good he really is,” Alonso told iDiski Times.

“I know he’s in one of the top teams in South Africa's Premier league, it’s going to be very competitive. It’s probably very different from what he’s used to in Finland but he has enough resources, enough tools to do a good job here.

“I know he’s trying to be offensive and play attractive football, be protagonists with the ball and the results now have been good but the season is long. There will probably be bad moments but I think he’s going to be loyal to his style and probably make a good career with a few trophies and the championship will probably be his main goal.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Riveiro took up one of the most demanding jobs in the PSL. He is at Pirates who have not won the league title in a decade and he is tasked with ending that long wait. Five months after his arrival, Riveiro guided the Soweto giants to the MTN8 crown.

Now, they are left with the Nedbank Cup and league title to play for this season. In the league race, the Buccaneers are fifth on the standings and trail log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by nine points.

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WHAT NEXT FOR RIVEIRO? Riveiro is preparing his team to resume the league campaign with a trip to Sundowns on December 30.