It appears that Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung might have been onto something when he predicted Orlando Pirates to struggle following the departure of Jose Riveiro.
The Buccaneers appeared to be sailing last season, having claimed the MTN8. A treble was on the cards midseason and having gone unbeaten until the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, many fans expected the Sea Robbers to finish with two or three trophies at the end of their campaign.
In April, Jose Riveiro announced he would leave Pirates at the end of the 2024/25 season and that announcement appeared to have somewhat affected the team. In a space of 40 days, Orlando Pirates lost the league, CAF CL and also the Nedbank Cup final.
Riveiro jumped ship to join Al Ahly end of May while his former side appointed ex-Marumo Gallants coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
The Moroccan coach has lost back-to-back league matches for Orlando Pirates this season, and some fans are already sceptical.
What did Bobby say when Riveiro left Orlando Pirates?
In April, a video was shared on X (Twitter), which shows Bobby Motaung sharing his thoughts on Riveiro’s departure.
“Did you see the Pirates coach is leaving? They will be average next season. We are not changing (our coach). Stuart Baxter did the same thing. He won for three seasons. Once he saw that his profile had improved, what did he do? things are like that,” Motaung said.
Fans shared mixed views on Motaung’s comments. Some felt he was jealous of Pirates’ success, while others agreed with his point, given how European coaches left PSL teams after winning trophies.
With Riveiro gone, Orlando Pirates have struggled to get results and have changed most of the squad which brought them success.
Can the Buccaneers bounce back?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
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