Mandla Ncikazi Demoted To Assistant Coach Role
Orlando Pirates coach Mandla Ncikazi has been demoted to assistant coach role after the club shockingly announced a new head coach who comes from Spain.
José Riveiro was the man chosen by Ezimnyama Ngenkani ahead of the 2022/23 DStv Premiership season. Riveiro will be joining the club in the pre-season along with new signings as they’ll be preparing for the next season.
Ncikazi and his former colleague Fadlu Davids leading the Soweto giants in the past season. Pirates’ faithful weren’t quite happy about them and they were heavily criticised taking into account inconsistent performances and failure to secure results.
Just after the completion of the season, Davids left the club and is now free looking for an employment elsewhere. The former Maritzburg United mentor has been heavily linked with SuperSport United who sacked Kaitano Tembo towards the end of the previous campaign.
The newly appointed coach will be assisted by Sergio Almenara and Ncikazi, Miguel Bellver Esteve as Fitness Trainer and Tyron Damons as Goalkeeper Coach.
Pirates statement:
Orlando Pirates Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of José Riveiro to the position of Head Coach. Riveiro joins Pirates on a three-year deal.
Riveiro is delighted to join the club and says he is looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“First of all, I would like to send a greeting to all the fans of Orlando Pirates. I am delighted to have joined the club. The Pirates project is an exciting one and I look forward to what lies ahead. It is an honour for me and my colleagues to have the responsibility to coach such an institution and compete for the highest goals.”
A modern, progressive coach with exciting, attacking football as his philosophy, the 46-year-old, will join the squad for preseason once all the relevant documents are processed.
As he joins the Mighty Buccaneers, Riveiro is under no illusion of the high expectation that comes with the job especially in the season the club will be marking its 85th Anniversary.
“Along with my support team, we are looking forward to arriving and joining the task force and the group of players to start working immediately.”
“We are going to work to make history together and build a team that we are all proud of.”
Riveiro’s last stint as a coach was at FC Inter Turku where he led the Black and Blues from 2019 to 2021.
