Jose Riveiro Comments On His Surprise Exit From Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro says he will express himself on his surprise decision to leave the Soweto soccer giants at a later stage.

On Thursday, the Premier Soccer League PSL side announced that the Spanish tactician, 47, will step down at the end of the season. He opted not to renew his contract.

"The time will come for me to express myself on the decision I have made but now isn't that time because we have a job to do. The season is far from over and we have a lot of work to do between now and the end of May, Riveiro said, per an article by Orlando Pirates .

"Obviously, in an ideal world, one would have wanted to hold on making any statements until the end of the season but it's not possible. The club needs to plan for its future and it's only fair that they are given time to do so."

He added that his priority at the moment is the Buccaneers upcoming Betway Premiership match against Polokwane City on Saturday, 5 April.

This is a tough match. A match that needs our undivided attention and focus, he said.

Riveiro has had a fairly successful three-year stint at Orlando Pirates since his arrival in 2022, winning multiple Nedbank Cup and MTN8 tournaments. The club has also featured in the Confederation of African Football CAF Champions League under his guidance.

The Bucs are currently second on the PSL log and are in the semifinal of the Nedbank Cup , where they are the defending champions. They also top the Champions Leagues Group C with 14 points from six matches, having won four and drawn two.

Its no wonder club chairman Dr Irvin Khoza is reluctant to let Riveiro go. While we would have liked Jose to extend his stay with us, at the same time, we fully respect his decision. We are grateful for everything he has done for the Club," Khoza said.