There will be more finals - Truter.

Sekhukhune United head coach, Brandon Truter, has every reason to believe his side will reach more cup finals.

Sekhukhune proved beyond any reasonable doubt that they can box against the best when they pushed Orlando Pirates to the limit in their 2-1 Nedbank Cup loss on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Although aging a bit, Sekhukhune players have shown they still have hunger for the game and success that comes with winning.

Having lifted them up from the depths of the relegation zone, Truter has managed to get the best out of players like Edwin Gyimah and Sipho Ntiya-Ntiya, who seem to have found a new lease on life under his guidance.

The addition of talented duo, Kamohelo Mokotjo and Sibusiso Viakazi has added much needed depth in Truter's squad.

Judging by their performances in the second half of the season, and their spirited display against Pirates on Saturday, there is only one way that Babina Noko are headed, and that is all the way up.

"I think it was a good final for the supporters, a good advert for Nedbank. Of course, we scored early, and they scored the last goal and won it," said a proud Truter as quoted by SABC Sport.

"I'm extremely proud of the boys, with the strides made this season – so many accolades, so many achievements, so I can't be bitter about this result.

"I'm sure there will be more finals with the progression in the team, but other than that, you wake up in the morning with expectations and the day will end with experiences."

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By virtue of reaching the Nedbank Cup final, with winners Pirates set to take part in the CAF Champions League, Sekhukhune will find themselves in the CAF Confederations Cup next season. 

Truter showers Riveiro with praises before Nedbank Cup final showdown.

                 Image: iDiskiTv

Brandon Truter knows how to talk a good game before a big game.

The Sekhukhune United coach has showered his Orlando Pirates counterpart, Jose Riveiro with sweet praises ahead of the two sides Nedbank Cup final clash on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

If anything, Riveiro should be blushing from Truter's praises.

Nonetheless, none of what Truter says about the Spanish tactician is lie.

Orlando Pirates play some attractive attacking football, and slowly but surely, one can see the identity that Riveiro is instilling in the team.

A second place finish, which takes Pirates to the CAF Champions League, an MTN8 trophy in the bag, and a Nedbank Cup final, which could mean another trophy loading, means Riveiro deserves all the praises he can get, and Truter is not stingy with them.

"Jose has done fantastically well this season," he said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/nedbank-cup/riveiro-improves-sa-football-truter/

"In terms of the strides that he made at the club, at Pirates, creating an identity as well.

"This is the type of coaches we should be attracting to the PSL, in terms of adding value to the product, in terms of helping our development in South Africa as a country where football is going.

"I think Pirates at this stage has a clear identity of attractive, attacking football and that’s how you want football to be played in the end of the day.

"That identity is clear, also with the striker’s coach and coach Mandla [Ncikazi] as well."

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Perhaps, one of the biggest truths in Truter's praise of Riveiro, is the fact that Orlando Pirates didn't bring one of the 'Plumbers' from overseas to coach the club, but a quality coach.

"I think they’ve bridged some gaps there on foreign coaches coming into the country as well, it’s not just adding numbers, but adding quality to the league."

Brakkies, as Truter is also known, deserves sweet praises of his own.

He managed to lift Sekhukhune from the relegation zone into a 7th place finish in the DStv Premiership.

With Pirates having finished second, therefore qualifying for the CAFCL, It means Sekhukhune, by virtue of reaching the Nedbank Cup final, have qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup. 

Pirates players hooked on winning trophies.

If Miguel Timm's words are anything to go by, Sekhukhune United should brace themselves for war when they clash with Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday 27 May at Loftus Versfeld.

According to Timm, Orlando Pirates are addicted to winning trophies after winning the MTN8 title earlier this season.

And when someone is addicted to something, they do whatever it takes to get their fix.

"We are going into this game with a lot of hunger and desire to get that feeling we got when we won the MTN8. I must say it is a very addictive one (winning a cup) and it has become a virus in the locker-room in a good way. We are looking forward to the weekend and hopefully we can lift the trophy," said Timm as quoted by The Citizen. https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/soccer/local-soccer/timm-says-lifting-trophies-has-become-an-addiction-at-pirates/

Pirates have had a fairly successful season, having also managed to finish in second position in the DStv Premiership, which gave them passage to next season's CAF Champions League.

Despite the MTN8 trophy, and possibly the Nedbank Cup, Timm says their biggest target was the league title.

It is now history that they fell 16 points from even getting a touch of it, with Mamelodi Sundowns winning it with seven matches to spare.

Nonetheless, Timm believes Pirates have learned enough this season to stage a better assault on the title in the next campaign.

"As much as we are happy with qualifying for the Champions League, one of the targets we set ourselves as a group was to compete for the title. The positives we will take is the solid foundation we have set for the future. We will give it a go next season. I am not saying we are not happy with reaching two Cup finals, but we have the capacity to do more."

I'm not thinking at all about the cup final - Riveiro.

Orlando Pirates will host Sekhukhune United on Saturday 13  May at Orlando Stadium in a Dstv Premiership encounter, with the kick-off at 15:00.

Pirates are going into this game on a high, having not lost a match in the league in their last seven outings, winning six and a single draw.

They are currently second on the log with 50 points, two ahead of third placed Supersport United, making their objective of qualifying for the CAF Champions League more of a reality.

Riveiro's men, are also through to their second final of the season, having beaten Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, and have every opportunity to finish the season with an impressive double.

While his players might already be thinking about the prospect of lifting their second trophy of the season, Riveiro, who was voted as coach of the month for April, insists that finishing second in the league is their main objective at the moment.

"The next objective for us is to consolidate our position in the log and make sure that we can be in the second position. I'm not thinking at all about the cup final and who's going to be our opponent in the cup final,'' said Riveiro as quoted by SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/we-are-the-team-of-the-month-jose-riveiro

It has been a successful first season in charge for the Spaniard at Pirates.

Having started the campaign on a high note, and largely tipped to be the team to finally stop Mamelodi Sundowns' dominance in the league, which didn't happen as the Brazilians clinched the title with seven matches to spare, but Pirates have made their presence felt, and look set to make a race of the league title next season.