'Riveiro will bring a lot to SA football'

New Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is a workaholic that has a lot to offer South African football, says a fitness trainer who has previously worked with the Spaniard.

SABC Sport tracked down Cape Town-born Leroy Maluka, a former Hellenic, Cape Town Spurs and Ikapa Sporting midfielder who crossed paths with Riveiro at Finnish outfit FC Inter Turku between 2019 and 2021.

"He™s a very good coach," Maluka said of Riveiro, whose announcement as the Buccaneers' head coach at the weekend took everyone by surprise.

"I think he is someone who is going to bring a lot to South African football, but as to what style he prefers I will leave that to him to talk about. But I enjoyed working with him in Finland and I know the two guys he is bringing with on his staff very well."

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” Orlando Pirates FC (@orlandopirates) June 25, 2022

Pirates have not won a league title since 2012 and the pressure will be on Riveiro to make an immediate impact, though the odds are stacked against the coach considering the mixed feelings over his appointment and the fact that the club have gone this route before with Swedish tactician Kjell Jonevret and Josef Zinnbauer, the latter having quit abruptly at the start of the 2021/22 season after lifting only the 2020 MTN8.

The 46-year-old Riveiro, who had been jobless since leaving Turku in November last year, brings with him assistant coach Sergio Almenara as well as fitness trainer Miguel Bellver Esteve.

"There is not a lot of advice I can give him but what™s important is for him to shut out all the nonsense and speculation on social media - people talk. But I know that he is a very professional coach and it is a massive boost that he has two [familiar] people on his staff," Maluka added.

"I worked with both of them at FC Inter and obviously, as a fitness coach, I grew a lot closer to the fitness trainer [Esteve] and we have been talking. I knew all along that they were coming to South Africa - I think this is a great appointment."

Riveiro will also work alongside Mandla Ncikazi, who was put in charge as the Pirates co-coach with Fadlu Davids for nine months last season, as his Bucs assistant.

By Mazola Molefe