‘We need to be mature,’ Pirates coach Riveiro warns his players

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has warned his charges to avoid being big-headed following their big win against Golden Arrows on Saturday.

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The Buccaneers hammered Abafana Bes’thende 7-1 at Orlando Stadium, with Tshegofatso Mabasa scoring a hat-trick, while Relebohile Mofokeng, Kabelo Dlamini, Sandile Mthethwa and Karim Kimvuidi netted a goal goal each.

Prior to the game against Arrows, Pirates endured some criticism from club legends and supporters. But Riveiro doesn’t think that the criticism was justified.

“Like I said before, I don’t speak about the results. I don’t think the players deserve to be highly criticised in the last five performances (games), I don’t think so. Results are results, we cannot stop the results,” Riveiro told the media.

“We try to always know where we are in this process that we’re having with this group, at this moment of the season. We’re adjusting our objectives, also thinking in the near future. We know where we’re going, so if there is criticism about the results, we will accept it. When it’s time to be criticised in terms of our performance, we will accept it. It’s normal, we’re in a highly competitive environment.

“We have to accept that when the results are not what we are looking for then criticism will come. But if we take it the right way, it’s something that can help us to keep going and to stay motivated. It’s (the 7-1 win) something we can capitalise on in a positive way for the future in terms of trusting ourselves, what we are capable of doing.

“I’m not talking about scoring seven goals, I’m talking about the type of football (we play). But it’s also dangerous if we think that from now it’s going to be a piece of cake and teams are going to fear us. We need to be mature and make it count for the future,” continued Riveiro.

Riveiro was also full of praise for the hat-trick hero Mabasa.

“But like every other player confidence and continuity it is key to performing, sometimes we’re not fair when we give one game in isolation, it’s not going to tell you the truth about the player.

“If you’re playing regularly, it means that confidence is in you, from everyone around you and football form usually comes with competition. If now we speak positions like Tshego’s position, a specialist.

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“Even though now the role of the striker and the goalkeeper is now much bigger than before. They have to contribute and do a lot of things and like I said a few weeks ago, Tshego, like all other strikers in the squad is a player that helps the team play better. And he has the capacity to score goals like the rest of our strikers,” Riveiro concluded.

Pirates will now shift focus away from the league and focus on Saturday’s Nedbank Cup quarterfinal clash against AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.