By Michael Madyira
Clashes between Premier Soccer League coaches continued on Saturday when Orlando Pirates’ Jose Riveiro had a spat with Chippa United co-coach Kwanele Kopo.
This followed the Buccaneers’ 3-1 victory over the Chilli Boys in the Nedbank Cup semi-final at Orlando Stadium.
Kopo alleged Riveiro was poking his striker Bienvenu Eva Nga, leading to the frustrated Cameroonian struggling to maintain his cool and being red-carded late in the game.
“I have a lot of respect for Orlando Pirates but the language used towards us by their coach was shocking, absolutely shocking,” Kopo said on SuperSport TV.
“Not needed in football. He was insulting Eva [Nga] the whole game, that’s why Eva got sent off.
“But it’s bad, even the fourth official could hear a coach use abusive language against us and they just kept quiet, but it’s okay, we move on.”
Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi had to intervene and cool down tempers when Nga was sent off.
But Riveiro denies any wrongdoing, saying the Chippa United bench was also verbally attacking them.
“I don’t have opinions about other colleagues’ opinions,” the Spaniard told the media.
“It doesn’t make any sense. Who am I to argue? If he feels that we used it, what do you call it? Abusive? No.
“There were moments of tension between the benches because I was not comfortable with the situation on the field, with some behaviour and things that were happening during the game that were not related to football at all.
“The swearing came from every angle, not only from our bench.”
With things heating up at this pressure cooker stage of the season, PSL coaches have been trading jibes.
Saturday’s incident came in a week Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena and his TS Galaxy counterpart also resumed their heated war of words.
Pictured above: Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro.
Image source: Orlando Pirates
