Johannesburg — One of Jose Riveiro and Brandon Truter will be fully vindicated after the Nedbank Cup final after enduring a torrid time in the last few months.
Riveiro (Orlando Pirates) and Truter (Sekhukhune United) received harsh criticism when they were appointed by their respective clubs.
Riveiro was ridiculed for being a “plumber” due to an underwhelming CV upon his arrival to the country before ensuring that his detractors ate humble pie as Pirates finished second in the league and won the MTN8 and he could put the final nail in the coffin if he wins the Nedbank Cup on Saturday.
That will be a tough ask, though, given that Truter is also aiming to have the last laugh after he was fired in his last two jobs.
Truter was sacked at Swallows and AmaZulu for poor results before landing at Sekhukhune midway through the term to guide the side to the top eight and cup final which guarantees African football.
Truter, though, who has reached cup final before and brought Swallows back to the elite league, believes that he’s always had tactical acumen in him and that’s why he’s grateful for the support that has made him standout.
“It’s always been there for me (the coaching prowess). Luckily for me, there are guys who speak about these things, I don’t want to blow my own horn,” Truter said.
“In terms of my progress and growth, I also had to surround myself with a good technical team so that we could manage this club and players. These guys are important, it’s not only about me.”
And while Truter has soared in his own right to lead Sekhukhune to a historic event, he’s lauded Riveiro for awakening a sleeping giant in Pirates – even though they failed to win the title.
“Jose has done fantastic this season in terms of the strides he’s made at the club. He has created some identity as well,” Truter said.
“These are the types of coaches that we should be attracting to the PSL in terms of adding value to the product and helping development in the country.”
Sekhukhune’s Nedbank run has been historic as not only will they play in their first cup in just two years of existence, but they’ve qualified for the Confederation Cup next season by virtue of being in the final.
Truter, though, is not naïve and doesn’t think they’ll walk into the main event and beat Pirates – a side they’ve recently held to a draw in the league. That’s why he wants them to enjoy being the underdogs.
“We are going into this match to just enjoy the occasion. It’s a historic event for the club in terms of reaching the final – and wanting to achieve that,” Truter said.
“It’s about the atmosphere and the occasion. But we’ll go out there and put out a spectacle and I think we’ll be well prepared for it as well.”
IOL Sport