Riveiro earns praise from AIK youngsters as he revives trusted development formula

Jose Riveiro is continuing to make a strong impression on young players after taking his youth-focused coaching approach from Orlando Pirates to Sweden, where members of the AIK squad have praised the confidence he gives them.

The Spanish coach, who previously managed the Buccaneers, was known in South Africa for giving emerging talent opportunities to establish themselves. Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota were among the youngsters who made significant progress during his time at Orlando Pirates.

Riveiro now appears to be applying the same principles at AIK. Two of the Swedish club’s young players have spoken publicly about his influence, highlighting the trust he places in them and the unified environment he has created within the squad.

Seventeen-year-old forward Kevin Filling said Riveiro had encouraged the club’s younger players to play with greater freedom and belief.

“He gives us all confidence, especially us young players who are coming up,” Filling said, as quoted by FotbollDirekt.

“We have a young team and that brings us together. He gets the best out of us just by being who he is.

“I’m not a psychologist so I can’t go into exactly how it works, but he gets everything out of us and is very popular for that reason.”

Filling’s comments were echoed by 20-year-old centre-back Wilmer Olofsson, who also described Riveiro as a major positive influence on the squad.

“He helps us a lot. He gives us self-confidence and a lot of trust,” Olofsson said, according to FotbollDirekt.

“Then he has his game idea and it doesn’t matter if we have the oldest starting eleven in the series or the youngest.

“We stick to the same way of playing and we believe in it. We trust him blindly.”

Olofsson also praised the way Riveiro communicates with the team before matches and during half-time, saying the coach’s words help calm the players.

“Then the way he talks to us at half-time and before the game. He always says he’s proud of us. Then of course it calms you down.”

The public support from Filling and Olofsson will be welcomed by Riveiro and reflects a feature that became closely associated with his spell at Orlando Pirates.

The 50-year-old coach was prepared to trust young players and build an environment where they could perform without fear. That approach helped Mofokeng and Nkota take important steps in their development at the South African club.

Early indications suggest a similar pattern is emerging at AIK. Young players are already speaking openly about the confidence and trust they receive from Riveiro, suggesting that the methods that served him well with Orlando Pirates may be proving effective outside South Africa.

His work in Sweden could therefore reinforce the impression that Riveiro’s ability to develop emerging talent is not limited to one club or one country.