Is this the next Orlando Pirates coach?

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In a bombshell announcement last week, it was revealed that José Riveiro will be leaving Orlando Pirates at the end of this season.

Due to the club’s involvement in three crucial competitions, it was clearly stated that the club would not be making any further statements on possible successors until the appropriate time.

“For the next two months, the club appeals to the supporters to fully support the coach and his team,” the statement read.

“His professionalism and commitment to the club’s best interests prompted a timely announcement, ensuring business as usual for the remainder of the season while simultaneously creating an opportunity for the club to prepare for the future.

“Updates on any significant developments will be communicated in due course.”

However, there is no doubt that behind the scenes Pirates will be making plans to settle on a replacement as soon as possible.

What will undoubtedly have caught their attention is the news that former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena could soon be let go by Wydad Athletic Club.

After being bundled out of the Moroccan Throne Cup, and with Wydad also losing out to RS Berkane in the league, pressure has been mounting on Mokwena’s job security.

It could lead to a prime opportunity for Pirates to bring Mokwena back to South Africa, with the experienced coach having previously worked with the Buccaneers from 2017 to 2020.

His most successful stint was then with Mamelodi Sundowns from 2020 to 2024, but in the middle of last year it was confirmed that Mokwena and the club had parted ways, having “taken into account the objectives and expectations of the board”.

After then heading to Wydad, it has been a mixed season with the Moroccan side, and it now remains to be seen whether the door could open for him at Pirates.

MOKWENA COULD SOON BE BACK ON THE JOB MARKET AT A TIME WHEN ORLANDO PIRATES ARE ON THE HUNT FOR A COACH

After the latest disappointing result, Mokwena openly stated that the club needs to change players or the coach, himself.

“The last 10 minutes were not good enough to try to show you want to win. We wasted 75 minutes with that. I only saw the desire to want to win after the opponent scored, and then it’s too late. That mentality should have been there at 0-0,” said Mokwena.

“No, we either need to change our mentality, or we need to change our players, or we need to change the coach. Because that type of mentality, it’s not a performance issue; it’s a mentality issue. I told them at half-time, the game is 0-0.

“I have enough experience of these type of games. If you don’t take the game, the opponent will take it. It’s not that they want it; they say if you don’t take it, we will take it. And we didn’t take it, so the opponents took it.”