Jose Riveiro delivers verdict on Kaizer Chiefs’ strong start

Former Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro, back in South Africa after his brief stint in Egypt, gave a candid assessment of the current Betway Premiership title race and the performance of his former rivals, Kaizer Chiefs.

Making a temporary return to the local football scene to fulfil commitments with the Carling Knockout Cup on Wednesday in Johannesburg, the Spanish tactician proved he is still keenly watching developments in the PSL, providing rare insight into the competition following his unexpected departure from the Buccaneers late last season.

Riveiro, who abruptly left Pirates despite their strong run before taking a short-lived role with Al Ahly in Egypt, believes the current season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years.

What Jose Riveiro Said About Kaizer Chiefs and the Title Race

While acknowledging that Mamelodi Sundowns remain the team to beat, Riveiro observed that the challengers are finally stepping up.

“There are more teams performing well. Recently, it was difficult for everybody to follow the rhythm that Sundowns was putting in the league. This season it seems to be slightly different,” he stated at a media event on Wednesday.

Focusing on the Soweto giants, Riveiro noted the visible improvement from the Gold and Black side.

“Kaizer Chiefs are doing better than last season,” Riveiro confirmed, referencing the fact that Kaizer Chiefs have already banked five more points (22) compared to the same stage last season (11 games).

However, he also singled out Sekhukhune United as the biggest talking point of the early season: “I think we were all a little bit surprised as well with the performance of Sekhukhune in the first months of the competition,” he added.

Praising Pirates’ Consistency

Unsurprisingly, Riveiro spoke highly of his former team, Orlando Pirates, who sit second on the log with seven wins from 10 outings.

“I think Pirates is one of the cases with their strong performances and their consistency in recent times,” he said. “Fantastic, progressing week after week. I think they are definitely in the right way.”

The 50-year-old concluded that while the early signs are promising, the real drama of the title race will unfold in the new year.

“I think it will come to the second part of the season, after Christmas, that it is going to be exciting, so I am looking forward to that.”