Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro says there will be no excuses not to challenge for multiple honours if they enter the CAF Champions League next season.
South African clubs have traditionally struggled to challenge for league and CAF inter-club titles simultaneously in years gone by, with Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns amongst the first clubs to show it’s possible.
Masandawana has now achieved the same levels of performances across all competitions for several seasons, but with vast resources, and arguably the squad with the most depth in the DStv Premiership, it has become an expectation at the league champions stable.
Riveiro believes they should follow suit and be able to have a squad capable of being competitive in every competition they partake in next season.
“It’s a good point, we know it’s going to be hopefully, next season to be [in the CAF Champions League], the players love playing, ask them, they would rather play every three days and train less, especially [at] this moment of the season,” Riveiro said.
“In the beginning, it’s different because you implement and produce adaptations in players, tactically, conditionally, but at this point of the season, even we as coaches, just want to play matches.
“The team is in a good moment where we can show it, everyone is playing for important things, so… but we understand next season will be like that, with long trips, short times to rest but when you can play every three days, it’s fine.
“It’s good for the fans, you can manage to have a decent rhythm in the games, it’s good for the players, the risk of injuries is not high, it’s good for us as coaches because we have enough time to influence the game.
“But two days is not good enough, there are physiological reasons that support my opinion on this case, but we don’t complain, in case we don’t get a result, I won’t say we didn’t have enough time off, we have to [win], there are no excuses.”
Pirates could secure their place in Africa’s elite club competition this weekend with a win over their fellow Nedbank Cup finalists Sekhukhune United when they face off on Saturday afternoon at Orlando Stadium (15h00).
