Orlando Pirates will begin the hunt for a new coach following current mentor Jose Riveiro’s announcement that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Here, Obakeng Meletse looks at the potential five coaches who could be in line to replace the Spaniard next season...
Manqoba Mngqithi
Mngqithi made a grand return to Golden Arrows a couple of weeks ago after he was dismissed by Mamelodi Sundowns.
His impact on the KwaZulu-Natal outfit has already been felt, with Abafana Bes’thende going five games with only one defeat, two wins and two draws, including an impressive 2-1 victory against Kaizer Chiefs two weeks ago.
They are within touching distance of the top eight, and in their current form, they have a very strong case to qualify for next season’s MTN8.
The 53-year-old has gained a wealth of experience while being part of the successful Mamelodi Sundowns side that have risen to become a powerhouse in both domestic and continental football.
Pitso Mosimane
Probably the most enticing option among all the potential candidates is Pitso Mosimane.
The only barrier might be that his experience over the last five years, coaching high-profile teams, could mean he will not come cheap.
Mosimane played a critical role in helping Mamelodi Sundowns return to being one of the best teams in the country after a torrid time prior to his appointment.
He left the club for Al Ahly after leading the Brazilians to four league titles and becoming only the second coach in South African history to win the CAF Champions League in 2016.
Mosimane won two further Champions League titles with the Egyptian side, and he also has three CAF Super Cup titles on his impressive resume.
Mandla Ncikazi
The 56-year-old was initially the head of the table when Riveiro came in to take over as the head coach.
He has been his assistant throughout his tenure, and the few lessons and growth along during their successful stint both domestically and on the continent can only benefit the former Arrows coach.
He could be an ideal candidate as he offers continuity, having worked with a significant portion of the current squad for the past four years.
Rhulani Mokwena
Mokwena is a former Pirates interim coach, whose story with the club somehow always felt that it had been paused when he left to return to join Mosimane at Sundowns as an assistant a few seasons back.
It turned out to be a fruitful time, so much so that when Mosimane left for Egypt, Mokwena was promoted to be joint head coach with Mngqithi.
The 38-year-old would later be made the senior coach for the remainder of his stint with the club.
In his time with the Brazilians as co-coach and senior coach, he won four league titles, one MTN8 cup and Nedbank Cup, and the prized African Football League title.
Mokwena moved on to joined Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club, and with the club having expectations similar to those of the big South African clubs, his position with the Moroccan outfit has always been under scrutiny.
So, a return to South Africa could not be out of the mix, even though he is still in the first year of a three-year contract.
Fadlu Davids
The former Maritzburg United coach (now known as Durban City) has been a part of Orlando Pirates as an assistant to Josef Zinnbauer and co-coach with Ncikazi.
Davids and Zinnbauer were also a team at Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca and Russian Premier League side Lokomotiv Moscow, with the South African deputising on both occasions.
He has since gone on to coach Tanzanian side Simba FC, and with the experience gained coaching a top-flight outfit that have won the Tanzanian Premier League on 22 occasions, he could also be in line to return to the PSL with the Buccaneers.