Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro insists winning the MTN8 with the Buccaneers proves no point to anyone about his coaching credentials.

The 47-year-old Spanish coach has taken just four months since landing in South Africa to win a major trophy, his first as a professional coach.

When he arrived Riveiro was an unknown quantity to fans and football writers, some of whom labelled him a “plumber” — a derogatory term used in South African football circles to describe someone who does not have the credentials for his coaching job.

Riveiro, born in Vigo, Spain, had coached FC Inter Turku in Finland, a club he led to second place in the Veikkausliiga in 2020.

After Bucs beat AmaZulu FC 1-0 in Saturday's final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, Riveiro credited everyone in the team, including the club's management for trusting him with the job of coaching one of the biggest football teams in Southern Africa.

Monnapule Saleng’s 25th-minute free-kick gave Bucs their fourth MTN8 trophy, which they will keep forever as the sponsors, who have been with the PSL for 15 years, are making a new one for the coming season.    

“I’m not here to respond to those things [being called a plumber],” said Riveiro after a final victory that earned Bucs the R8m winner-takes-all prize money.

“I’m here to do my job. I’m a professional football coach and I’m prepared to do it. That’s why I have an opportunity to be part of this beautiful club.

“I would like to take the chance also to say thank you to my bosses for giving me the opportunity to represent a brand like Pirates. We’re doing a good job altogether. 

“There are a lot of things we need to work on. I have a responsibility, obviously, but that’s it. I’m just a head coach but there’s many more people around me who are helping to make this work.

“I understand sometimes we as coaches are in the spotlight for different reasons, especially when we lose. But I think I have answered many times that situation [of his credentials being questioned] — there’s nothing I can do about it.

“I cannot control it and so I don’t spend time thinking about it. This [winning the cup] is not revenge or anything like that. We did what we were supposed to do as Orlando Pirates today and [did it] together — players, coaches, support staff, management and everyone.

“We travelled together to come here as a huge family and I think we did it together and that makes me feel very proud.”

Pirates play Chiefs in a derby rematch in the semifinals of the single-day Carling Black Label Cup friendly tournament at FNB on Saturday, then have a two-month break as domestic schedules suspend for the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.