Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro insists he won’t bring any Spanish players to the club.
The Spaniard has so far won three trophies with the Buccaneers, making him the most successful coach at the club since Ruud Krol. During the preseason, Pirates went to Spain to play several friendlies including one against La Liga side Las Palmas.
Having gone unbeaten in preseason, many expected the Sea Robbers to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title. Despite a promising start, Riveiro’s side fell off and are now fighting to finish second behind the Brazilians.
Masandawana have made a habit out of signing South American players. The likes of Gaston Sirino and Lucas Ribeiro have hit the ground immediately making a huge impact at the club.
Bucs fans have called the club management to also look in Europe for top players in order to compete with Downs.All Pirates’ nine signings in the 2023/24 season were South Africans.
Riveiro told the media that Pirates won’t bring in Spanish players.
“The club is much bigger than me. My club, Orlando Pirates, doesn’t need me in that department. I am running a club’s project, it’s not Riveiro’s project,” he said.
“I am just one piece of that project. There’s much more around me. I am not here to bring Spanish players, I am here to do something more important.
Pirates unlikely to bring in Spanish players says Riveiro
“The project is much bigger. There’s no improvising, saying, ‘I think you need this guy from Spain, he’s a good boy and a left-footer,’” he added.
“No! We are not about that. The club knows where it needs to go. I am part of that. The club is not waiting for me to say, ‘This is what you need, I’ll do it for you’,” Riveiro said.
The Spanish coach is in his second year at Pirates but has struggled for consistency this campaign.
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