“We cannot just evaluate our strikers because of the amount of goals they score — they are doing much more. When our No.10s can get the ball free, it’s because there are a lot of things happening around them.
“And our No.9 who is playing alone up-front, usually dealing with two centrebacks — [against SuperSport] with three centrebacks — there are a lot of things they are doing.
“I know of course they are the first ones who want to finish the season with a lot of goals.
“They are professional football players and they have to deal with whatever happens around them. It’s a must — it’s the nature of our jobs.
“We cannot be affected by the supporters, or the opponents’ supporters and what they are saying, or if they are cheating us, or if they are anxious or nervous.
“It’s in our salary — we have to deal with it and it might be, if I put myself in their boots, a motivation to show they have the capacity to make them [the supporters] happy.
“In the end that’s what they want — to celebrate the goals. And sometimes they are harassing, but it’s something that will not change. We have to deal with it and accept it.”
Eva Nga has been preferred by Riveiro in Bucs’ XI ahead of last season’s Ghanaian first-choice centre-forward Kwame Peprah and Zakhele Lepasa.
Pirates host Marumo Gallants in the league at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday before their MTN8 quarterfinal against Royal AM at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday.
WATCH | Riveiro responds to Orlando Pirates fans booing striker Eva Nga
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has urged striker Bienvenu Eva Nga to shrug off the harassment he has received from Bucs fans and turn it into a motivator.
SA’s notorious “boo boys” among Pirates’ fans have been on Eva Nga’s back. They were booing the centre-forward, signed in the off-season from Chippa United, again in Bucs’ 0-0 DStv Premiership draw against SuperSport United at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday evening.
The big Cameroonian’s bustling game and strong shooting and heading ability certainly seem to hold plenty of potential in a Pirates jersey, but such a style of play often does not attract the appreciation of SA fans.
“We have five strikers in the squad — they must do a lot of things to win the games, in attack and in defence, when we lose the ball and when we recover the ball,” Riveiro said.
“We cannot just evaluate our strikers because of the amount of goals they score — they are doing much more. When our No.10s can get the ball free, it’s because there are a lot of things happening around them.
“And our No.9 who is playing alone up-front, usually dealing with two centrebacks — [against SuperSport] with three centrebacks — there are a lot of things they are doing.
“I know of course they are the first ones who want to finish the season with a lot of goals.
“They are professional football players and they have to deal with whatever happens around them. It’s a must — it’s the nature of our jobs.
“We cannot be affected by the supporters, or the opponents’ supporters and what they are saying, or if they are cheating us, or if they are anxious or nervous.
“It’s in our salary — we have to deal with it and it might be, if I put myself in their boots, a motivation to show they have the capacity to make them [the supporters] happy.
“In the end that’s what they want — to celebrate the goals. And sometimes they are harassing, but it’s something that will not change. We have to deal with it and accept it.”
Eva Nga has been preferred by Riveiro in Bucs’ XI ahead of last season’s Ghanaian first-choice centre-forward Kwame Peprah and Zakhele Lepasa.
Pirates host Marumo Gallants in the league at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday before their MTN8 quarterfinal against Royal AM at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday.
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