Questions remain over Riveiro’s move to Al Ahly

Speculation that outgoing Orlando Pirates boss José Riveiro will take the head coaching job at Al Ahly is not unfounded, but reports it is a done deal may be premature.

Some reports have been that Riveiro is set to be announced Ahly coach, with details to be worked out to conclude a deal. 

It is understood there have been talks between Riveiro and the Cairo giants but no deal has been agreed.

There may be doubts at the Egyptian club that Riveiro has the experience and stature to take charge of the most successful club in Africa, who have been searching for a full-time successor since Swiss coach Marcel Koller’s departure on April 26.

There is also speculation Riveiro might be joining Ahly to be part of another coach’s technical staff, as a co-coach or an assistant.

Renowned Spanish sports tabloid Marca has reported there is strong interest from Ahly in former Sevilla coach García Pimienta.

However, Ahly president Mahmoud El Khatib reportedly has several high-profile coaching CVs on his desk as the position at his club has become more attractive, given the opportunity to lead the team at the expanded 2025 Fifa Club World Cup in the US in June and July.

Pirates announced on Monday Riveiro, who the Buccaneers disclosed on April 26 would not renew his three-year contract at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, has been granted and early release from his deal. His final match will be the Premier Soccer League (PSL) clash against Lamontville Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm).

Pirates chair Irvin Khoza said Riveiro “approached us a few weeks ago with a request to be released from his contract ahead of schedule, having signed with a new club”.

“Given the timing, amid a series of crucial fixtures, we believed it was best to delay this announcement until after the Nedbank Cup final [on Saturday].”

The timing of Riveiro’s request to leave “a few weeks ago” might raise question marks.

Given Pirates were in the hunt for the PSL title at that stage, it raises questions over Riveiro’s commitment to the cause.

In the past two weeks their league title chances have diminished and Mamelodi Sundowns need a point from their remaining two matches to clinch the championship.

When Pirates announced Riveiro’s imminent departure in late April, the club was in the hunt for three more titles — the Caf Champions League, Premiership and Nedbank Cup — to add to their MTN8 trophy in 2024-25.

They were since knocked out of the Champions League,  lost the Nedbank final and are on the verge of conceding the league to Downs.

Speculation could be Bucs' players' heads might have dropped to some extent after the April announcement Riveiro would not be staying.

The Spaniard will hope such conjecture does not sully his achievements at Bucs.

Riveiro steered Pirates to five of eight domestic cup trophies in his three years at Pirates, including three successive MTN8 titles and two in a row in the Nedbank.

They ended runners-up twice to Sundowns in the Premiership and are virtually assured of that position again in 2024-25.

What made the Spaniard most marketable was he steered Bucs to the Champions League semifinals. Pirates were the only unbeaten team in the quarterfinals, progressing comfortably through Group C with 14 points to Al Ahly’s nine in Bucs’ first return to the round robins since 2018-19.