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The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Mandla Ncikazi on Orlando Pirates job: When I got into this club, I became a servant
Mihlali Baleka | Published 4 hours ago Mandla Ncikazi has devoted himself to being a servant of Orlando Pirates – hence, he'll serve wherever he's deployed by the management next season. Ncikazi served as the interim coach of Pirates in the last four matches, following the early departure of coach Jose Riveiro. He did fairly well in the capacity, guiding Pirates to 61 points – their best finish since the 2002/23 title-winning season after one win and three draws. As such, he has all but involuntarily thrown his name in the basket of coaches who may be considered to succeed Riveiro, having shown continuity. Ncikazi, despite serving as a co-coach and then assistant at Pirates, is no stranger to the head-coach role, having held the position at Golden Arrows prior to joining the Buccaneers. However, the 56-year-old – who's in his fourth season at the club – says the management will make the decision on his future as he's just ready to do his part. 'I've learnt so much in this club,' said Ncikazi, who was speaking after Pirates drew 1-1 with Magesi FC in their season finale at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night. 'You don't only learn as a coach, you also learn as a human being – they teach you to be a better man and a better human being.' 'That augurs well for me because I'm not the type who is looking for opportunities. When I got into this club, I became a servant. I want to serve this club. 'Remember, when you are appointed here, you must put your aspiration in the right place (and act as required). 'You are here to serve and if you are serving, you are not the one who determines which direction you go with the mission. 'I'm here, and I will go where I've been sent to go and preach the gospel. And it's not on me: it is the appointer who will take a decision.' It's not only Ncikazi that has served with aplomb under Riveiro, but outgoing captain Innocent Maela as well. Maela led Pirates to five trophies – MTN8s and two Nedbank Cups – and three successive runners-up finishes in the Premiership as they qualified for the CAF Champions League. He wasn't a regular in the starting line up in the last two seasons, with Riveiro preferring Deon Hotto, who's naturally a left-winger, over him at left back. But the 32-year-old hardly sulked and moaned around, be it for late cameos or media duties as he showed up and spoke from the heart. His loyalty and service to the club seems as though it will be rewarded, as there are reports that he'll retire at the end of the season and work behind the scenes. 'He is a product of this institution,' said Ncikazi, before going down memory on the time he first saw Maela. 'I remember the first time I met him, he was playing for Thanda Royal Zulu and I was still in KwaZulu-Natal, and I saw this fast winger that I wanted to poach. 'But I was told he belongs to a big institution, so then you know what should happen. He's a great human being. 'Sometimes, we look at players and forget they are society members. 'It becomes very good when you have a good human being, and a good player. It's moments like that which make you continue being a leader, even if you are not on the pitch. 'He's highly intelligent. I'm sure he is educated at home and in the institutions of learning. It is a blessing, and I'm sure his career is going to continue. 'It is not the end. He is taking another direction in his career, based on his humanity and his academic learning.'
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Al Ahly announce former Pirates boss José Riveiro as new coach
Riveiro truly made his name at the Buccaneers, where he won five of the eight domestic cup trophies on offer in his tenure (three successive MTN8s and two Nedbank Cups in a row, plus a third final). He successively closed the gap on eight-time champions on the trot Mamelodi Sundowns as runners-up in the Betway Premiership from 16 to 23 to 12, the last in the past campaign where Pirates were contenders until the final few weeks. Perhaps most impressively, this campaign he also he steered Pirates to their first Champions League semifinal since reaching the final in 2013. Bucs went through their first group stage since 2018-19 — their second round-robin phase since 2013 — unbeaten with 14 points to second-placed Al Ahly's nine. Pirates were the only unbeaten team left in the competition at the quarterfinal and semifinal stages.
TimesLIVE
11-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
‘Pity party must stop': Pirates coach Riveiro as he turns attention to league
As he surveyed the wreckage of the Nedbank Cup final defeat to Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro urged his players to pick themselves up and turn their attention to the Betway Premiership. The Buccaneers failed to achieve a rare feat of a Nedbank Cup 'threepeat' — losing 2-1 as Kaizer Chiefs lifted their first trophy in 10 years at Moses Mabhida Stadium — but their season is not over as they are still involved in a two-horse race for the league title with Mamelodi Sundowns. But this defeat denied the club the opportunity to give outgoing Riveiro a trophy send-off near the end of his three seasons, where he has steered Bucs to five out of seven domestic cups on offer, including three successive MTN8s and two Nedbank Cups. Bucs have been runners-up in the league twice under the Spaniard and are set to be again in 2024-25, and reached this season's Champions League semifinals. Pirates are outsiders in the Premiership race as Sundowns may move to within a point of being crowned champions for the eighth consecutive season if they beat Stellenbosch FC at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday (3pm). Pirates coach Jośe Riveiro turns attention to the Betway Premiership after Nedbank Cup final loss to Chiefs. WATCH full press conference ➡️➡️➡️ — Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) May 11, 2025 Riveiro will urge his players to keep pushing as long as there is a chance of applying pressure on Downs. 'We have Golden Arrows in a few days and then we have TS Galaxy next,' said a clearly disappointed Riveiro after the final. 'We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves — the pity party must stop tomorrow [Sunday] morning because we have start to preparing for the next match.' 'It is important to win the next match after disappointment like this one. We tried everything to be the champions of this competition. 'We really wanted to make it back-to-back but Chiefs were better than us in certain moments and that's why they are champions.' This is the second heartbreak for Pirates over the past few weeks after they were knocked out of the Champions League by Egyptian side Pyramids FC in the semifinals. Yusuf Maart's goal was so good, we had to share it with @mapensela11 flavour 😏🎙️ #NedbankCup | #SSDiski — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) May 10, 2025 Riveiro was asked which of the defeats so close to glory was more painful. 'The disappointment is the same for the Champions League elimination, this match and against Sekhukhune United. Disappointment is the same for every game we lose. 'Every game is an opportunity to beat somebody and if we don't do it, it is a disappointment. This was a big game, a cup final, but we have to go again because on Tuesday we are going to be tested again in the league. 'It is not easy to win a cup final but it is incredible what this group has done winning five trophies. It is something exceptional. 'But to answer your question, I cannot tell you which [loss] is more painful than the other.' After Arrows on Tuesday at Orlando Stadium, Pirates will still have league assignments against TS Galaxy, SuperSport United, AmaZulu and Magesi FC to bring Riveiro's tenure at the club to an end. Those matches may be academic with regards to the league race because Sundowns — needing four points from their last three matches against Stellenbosch, Chippa United and Magesi FC — seem likely to be crowned champions by then.
The Citizen
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
‘It was an ugly match'
'In the second half the game was even more ugly, more physical, with more interruptions,' said the Pirates head coach. Jose Riveiro did not like what he saw as Pirates lost the Nedbank Cup final to Chiefs. Picture:Darren Stewart/Gallo Images) Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro clearly wasn't impressed with what he saw after his side were beaten 2-1 by Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday. ALSO READ: Chiefs sink Pirates to end drought with Nedbank Cup glory Pirates were unable to win the trophy for the third successive season. They lost their first ever Nedbank Cup match since Riveiro arrived at the club in 2022. The Spaniard will still leave Pirates at the end of this season with five knockout trophies, three MTN8s and two Nedbank Cups. 'It was an ugly match, there was not so much football from both sides. We were fighting the elements, and the game was affected quite heavily by the penalty,' Riveiro told journalists after the match. Chiefs got a penalty early in the game. Pule Mmodi went down under the challenge of Deano Van Rooyen. Pirates did equalise through Evidence Makgopa. And RIveiro hinted that his own side should have had a penalty for a foul in the box on Relebohile Mofokeng. 'We had to come back again (Pirates came back from a goal down to beat Chiefs 2-1 in the Betway Premiership the previous weekend). And we managed to do it. 'In the first half we were territorially superior, we only had some problems with Mmodi, everything else was under control. 'We had an opportunity to score a second, with one action of Rele in the box. But we were not rewarded with a penalty.' 'It was impossible' 'In the second half the game was even more ugly, more physical, with more interruptions. In the last 20 minutes both sides with substitutes made the game a bit more open. And in that moment they scored the second goal. It was impossible for us to generate enough in the last ten minutes.' ALSO READ: Chiefs hero Maart praises fans after Nedbank Cup triumph Yusuf Maart's volley from the edge of the box put Chiefs 2-1 up and ultimately meant they won their first trophy in ten years. 'Congratulations to Chiefs for the trophy, and that's it,' added Riveiro.
