Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is getting ready for the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs this weekend. | Ayanda Ndamane Independent Media
IT has been dubbed the Cocomelon Derby because of the blitzing youngsters that both Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will be looking at for inspiration in the first Soweto derby under the Betway Premiership banner.
The much anticipated clash will be played at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday, starting at 3.30pm. Before commenting about the importance of their top quality youngsters, Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro first raised the alarm to fans attending the match.
The Spaniard appealed to the fans to make their way to the venue early as that will have a huge effect on the quality of football presented by both teams on the day.
“It is important to us that we start exactly at kick-off because we have a match schedule we prepare according to,“ said Riveiro, during the combined press conference at the SuperSport studios on Thursday.
“We have a match schedule we prepare according to ...“
“It is important I think to both teams that we stick to the schedule. I’ve never understood why that happen (that fans are so slow to enter the venue and consequently causing kick-off delays)...
“But I am starting to get the idea now. It is nothing like I’ve seen anywhere else in the World, what happens in this fixture.”
Now back to the Cocomelon Derby name tag, that is influenced by the form of players like Relebohile Mofokeng (20), Mohau Nkota (20) and Thabiso Sesane (24) at Pirates and those at Chiefs - Mduduzi Shabalala (21), Mfundo Vilakazi (19) and Samkelo Zwane (23), Riveiro said:
“I really believe that when you have players from your own development they can give you something that no player from anywhere can give you.
“So, I really believe and hope that on Saturday they will give us that, something special.”