Relebohile Mofokeng and Mbekezeli Mbokazi are among the Orlando Pirates stars to have issued heartfelt messages following the exit of beloved coach Jose Riveiro.
The Spaniard has left Pirates five trophies richer after a three-year stint in the dugout, and having missed adding this season's Nedbank Cup and CAF Champions League to that collection by a whisker.
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At the centre of Riveiro's success has been the unwritten rule to promote from within the club. The likes of Mofokeng, Mbokazi, and Mohau Nkota all emerged and blossomed into household names under the softly-spoken mentor.
He played as many as seven club development products in his final match, which ended in a 3-0 win against Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday.
Speaking on the 49-year-old tactician's departure, 'TLB' said he was grateful for the trust Riveiro had shown in him.
"I'm happy that we won, and we were able to give the coach a win in his last match. We wanted to send him off in a good way," said Mbokazi after the latest result.
"I also want to thank him for handing me a chance and trusting me. He saw my potential from the DDC [DStv Diski Challenge], that I could come to the senior team and try, and it went well. He gave me a chance and I didn't disappoint him. So I'm very grateful."
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Fan-favourite Mofokeng, for his part, said: "Thank you Coach Jose Riveiro, we had a great journey with you. Grateful for the chance you gave us, and thank you for being with us. Thank you for being a father to us, and we thank you for everything you did for us. Good luck for the future."
Riveiro is expected to resurface as new head coach at Al Ahly in Egypt, with an announcement said to be imminent.
