Jose Riveiro has provided some insight into how Orlando Pirates will be spending the international break ahead of what will be a congested December schedule.
As many as six Pirates players were called up to the final Bafana Bafana squad that is set to take on Uganda and South Sudan in the final round of 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
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That has not deterred Riveiro, though, from his plans to sharpen a Buccaneers outfit that enjoys a view from the top of the Betway Premiership standings, courtesy of a flawless record of seven wins from seven matches.
"Obviously, when you are winning every two, three days, you don't want to stop," Riveiro told journalists when asked if the international interval would disturb his rhythm.
"I'm not going to lie, you want to keep going, especially the players, who may be having fun on the field and the results are coming for us.
"Well, you want to continue, but now many of them have different compromises with national teams ... they will continue competing and the [other] ones will stay here in Jo'burg and will prepare for what's coming.
"We have an extremely tight schedule in November, December, January. The next FIFA break is in March, so once we resume after this one, we don't stop anymore.
"There's nothing I can do, so I take it [the fixture programme] the way it is. It's a break and it doesn't matter if I prefer it or not," added the Spaniard.
Riveiro said he is of the school of thought that one of the keys to succeed in modern football is planning, a point he has tried to emphasize several times before.
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"We have the opportunity now to utilise this time to rest some of our players, to refine some other players, and some other team dynamics. We have more time to look at small details that when you're competing every two, three days you don't have time and opportunity to do."
Pirates return to action on Tuesday, 26 November with a blockbuster CAF Champions League group opener against Algerian champions CR Belouizdad.