“I don’t think the players deserve to be highly criticised for the last five performances — results are results and we cannot stop them because if we do that we won’t progress.
“I have said it before: we try to always know where we are in the process we are having with this group.
“At this stage of the season we are adjusting our objectives. We are also thinking of the near future. We know where we are going and if there are critics because of our results we will accept it.
“When it is time to be criticised because of our performance we will accept it. It is normal because we are in a highly competitive environment and we have to accept that when the results are not what we are looking for the critics will come.
“But if we take it in the right way, [it] is something that helps you to keep going, to stay motivated and that is what we do.”
Pirates meet AmaZulu in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
Riveiro asks Orlando Pirates to build on form shown thrashing Arrows
Sports reporter
Image: GALLO IMAGES
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has called on his players to use Saturday's emphatic 7-1 DStv Premiership thrashing of Lamontville Golden Arrows as a catalyst to building consistency for the rest of the season.
Pirates' battle for consistency is illustrated by them not managing to put together successive wins in their last eight league matches.
Saturday's convincing win at Orlando Stadium (37 points from 23 matches) has moved the Buccaneers to third place behind in-form Stellenbosch FC (39 from 22) and runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns (49 from 19).
But Bucs are under pressure from a tight pack including Sekhukhune United, TS Galaxy, SuperSport United and Cape Town City below them who are also chasing the second spot finish that comes with Champions League football next season.
Tshegofatsho Mabasa scored a hat-trick against Arrows and the other goals came from Relebohile Mofokeng, Kabelo Dlamini, Sandile Mthethwa and Karim Kimvuidi. Arrows responded through Lungelo Nguse.
“It is a heavy score and it can be something we capitalise on in a positive way for the future in terms of trusting in ourselves and knowing what we are capable of. I am not talking about scoring seven goals but the type of football we play,” Riveiro said.
“Is also dangerous to think that from now it is going to be a piece of cake or teams are going to fear us or something like that. We must be mature and make it count for the future.”
Pirates, who had high hopes at the start of the season of a stronger challenge to six-time successive league champions Sundowns than last campaign's runners-up finish by 16 points, went into the match with some supporters unhappy with their erratic results. Riveiro defended his players but said Bucs accept the criticism.
“I don’t think the players deserve to be highly criticised for the last five performances — results are results and we cannot stop them because if we do that we won’t progress.
“I have said it before: we try to always know where we are in the process we are having with this group.
“At this stage of the season we are adjusting our objectives. We are also thinking of the near future. We know where we are going and if there are critics because of our results we will accept it.
“When it is time to be criticised because of our performance we will accept it. It is normal because we are in a highly competitive environment and we have to accept that when the results are not what we are looking for the critics will come.
“But if we take it in the right way, [it] is something that helps you to keep going, to stay motivated and that is what we do.”
Pirates meet AmaZulu in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
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