Two finals, one trophy. And it isn't even December yet. The delightfully cool Allan Freese on Platinum Stars, giant-killing and contract-signing

Slayer-in-Chief: Allan Freese

THERE is a delightful coolness to Allan Earl Freese as his Platinum Stars ice-berg continues to sink the Titanic giants of South African football.

Super-cool. Distinctly unfashionable. No contract. Sharp as a razor. The ultimate Caretaker Manager. Everyone thought last year’s PSL runners-up were in for a Phokeng struggle this season after Cavin Johnson decamped for SuperSport United.

Instead, Freese stepped up from assistant boss to guide his side past Orlando Pirates to the MTN8 trophy before, on Saturday night, he engineered a shock 1-0 defeat of double-winning Kaizer Chiefs to take his side to an unprecedented second cup final in his first season in charge.

Now 57, Freese had his moments as a player. I watched the AmaKhosi beaten with SABC analyst Desh Bhaktawer on Saturday night. The former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper explained: “Freesy was a fair player. I remember in the old days at Arcadia Shepherds, Stan Lapot rated him as one of the top left backs in the country.”

The Rock: Allan's brother
Howard captained Chiefs

Driving happily down the highway of unexpected success on the North West’s N4 on Sunday, Freese laughs at the memory. “Yes, I got the SMS from Deshi after the game. Those were good days! But this season I’m having fun. My brother Howard (“The Rock” captained Kaizer Chiefs, Allan went to Orlando Pirates) just called me. He said: ‘It wasn’t Kaizer Chiefs playing badly, it was Platinum Stars playing well. That was the difference.’ And I think he’s right.

“I have got a bunch of guys who play for each other at Stars, not individuals. Everyone can surprise me, not just Robert N’gambi (their Malawian top scorer) – how about Thabiso Semenya popping up with his first goal?

“We’re playing good football. People seem to forget that, they concentrate on how badly the other side are playing. But we beat Gavin Hunt’s Bidvest Wits home and away in the MTN8 semi-finals, we won the final on penalties against a Pirates side doing well in Africa… and we beat champions Chiefs fair and square.”

Despite breaking a seven-year trophy drought and keeping his side in the running for the PSL title while reaching the Telkom KO final at Mbombela on December 7, Freese remains on the assistant coach’s contract he signed two seasons at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.

With Orlando Pirates looming in a repeat of the MTN8 final, he laughs: “I’ve been in to see the chairman a few times, we’ve talked about a new contract, but I’m doing okay without one. You know how football is. I got a pay rise, so did my assistant Willem Jackson.

“If you think I deserve better, you’ll have to say that. I couldn’t possibly comment!”

So I will. Dikwena football manager Senzo Mazingisa says the creeping crocodiles, funded by BaPhokeng King Leruo’s platinum profits, won’t offer Freese a contract until May.

That’s fine. By that time, Freese will have quite a CV I suspect. And other clubs will be looking. How do you  reward a man who has already picked up a trophy and reached two cup finals before December?

By offering him a much BETTER deal than the one he would have signed five months ago as the quiet understudy assuming control. There’s an icy sense of justice in that for Mr Freeze.

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

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Johan Neeskens: at last the brush-off for a doomed Dutch master

Now in traditional orange: the axed Johan Neeskens

WHEN “Joel the goal” Mogorosi was awarded the winner that wasn’t at themagnificent Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, Mamelodi Sundowns fans might rightly have expected a rapid response from their expensively-assembled squad, if only to save the career of their struggling head coach Johan Neeskens.

Instead, the bright orange Dutchman stood impotent and impatient as his time ran out against a far more reasonably priced Bloemfontein Celtic outfit, who never looked like losing their grip on the Telkom KO Cup.

Sure the goal wasn't over the line, but there was little question which team deserved victory. Neeskens can rant about mothers-in-law and off-form players all he wants, he proved again on Saturday he had long since "lost the dressing room" as the pundits like to say. He simply failed to get a response out of his billionaires, with the best and highest-paid of them, Elias Pelembe, languishing in the shadows.

A statement on the club's website from Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe said: “Johan Neeskens is a good coach whose experience and track record speaks for itself. He sacrificed and worked hard for the success of the Club. Johan will always have a special place at Mamelodi Sundowns and I wish him the very best with his future and career.”

“I am excited to welcome Pitso Mosimane to Mamelodi Sundowns and am confident that he will contribute to the success and growth of the Club. Pitso’s first major task is to ensure that we win games and finish in a respectable position in the Premier Soccer League, taking into account the very high standards we set for ourselves. Our current position on the log is extremely embarrassing and we have to restore the dignity and pride of Sundowns and our supporters.”

Our last public sighting of the Dutch master Neeskens, a 61-year-old World Cup finalist who won 49 caps and scored 17 goals for the Netherlands, was a distinctly shabby post-match interview with SuperSport’s bubbly Romy Titus.

When she asked him how disappointed his men were at losing to the sweating Siwelele, whose fans dominated a crowd of close to 33,000, he offered a snide sneer: “What do you think, you think they are not unhappy, they are not upset? I must see a replay of that goal. I don’t think it was over the line.”

It wasn’t. But given another below-par performance from the club ironically known as South Africa’s Brazilians, there was still justice of sorts on show.

It was a classic closing performance from a man who, apart from a brief spell in charge of NEC Nijmegen at the turn of the century, was rarely given the reigns as he played understudy to superior footballing brains like Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard with Holland, Australia, Barcelona and even Turkey’s Galatasary.

He was introduced as the brain from Barca when Patrice Motsepe added him to the fabulously expensive Johan Cruyff academy at Chloorkop last year. It was a mistake Msandawana were to regret. Heavily. Some get away with dodgy CVs when they come to South Africa, but the history of Neeskens, littered with the words "assistant manager" told a telling truth.

Neeskens promised to resign if he ended his second season as he endured the first, without trophies. He didn’t of course. In the end Sundowns President Motsepe had to fire the Dutchman, a couple of months after fans had thrown bottles and vuvuzelas at him following another inexplicably poor performance at Dobsonville. We are told the club reached an "amicable settlement" with the flying Dutchman before he zipped off to Oliver Tambo International Airport. I suspect he left with a sizeable cheque in lieu of his remaining contract.

Neeskens is not the retiring type. Most other head coaches, having spent more than anybody else in their division only to languish in the relegation zone, might have considered calling it quits. Not Johan. Oh no. Always aloof, keen on being chauffeur-driven by his technical staff and ignoring those players who didn’t live up to his European standards, Neeskens carried on for months after his best-by date.

Like Mark Hughes at QPR, he leaves a club in serious trouble despite serious spending. Sure, Sundowns managed a couple of points in recent weeks – notably a second League win of the season against Telkom KO conquerors Celtic last week – but in truth, they have been in trouble ever since the devastating decline began when they toppled off the top of the PSL midway through last season.

Seven points clear a year ago before the AFCON break, the Brazilians went nuts and slumped out of contention, allowing Orlando Pirates to retain their trophy despite a huge early-season deficit.

Sundowns simply never recovered. A poor end to last season was followed by a disastrous start to this one, despite that opening 4-1 MTN8 triumph over Kaizer Chiefs, who now lead the PSL.

Neeskens should have gone weeks ago. Would have, if mining magnate Motsepe hadn’t been too distracted to notice the players were no longer responding to his brand mumbling motivation. How many of them actually understood the Dutchman's broken English? I guess we will never know.

On Sunday, some five hours after I first tweeted the initial whispers of his imminent departure, club spokesman Thulani Thuswa was first to confirm the wielding of the axe, saying: “I can confirm that coach Neskeens and the club have reached an amicable agreement to part ways. The club president, Patrice Motsepe, praised him for standing by the club even when times where tough.”

And now, anxious Sundowners surveying the sunset await the arrival of failed Bafana Bafana boss Mosimane, a former player who must replace or control a technical team with attitude led by Trott Moloto and a host of former playing stars. There is also the small matter of Katlego "Killer" Mphela's knee operation to worry about. The top scorer's been out all season, though having been an old favourite for Pitso's Bafana we can probably expect a miracle cure.

If succeeding Carlos Alberto Parreira in the South Africa hot seat was tough, Mosimane would do well to consider with some trepidation the ejector seat vacated by Neeskens. Money they have, and talent. More than enough to end the season in the top half despite an awful start. But of spirit, style and salvation there is little sign. 

Pitso has seen hard times, harder headlines before. I hope he’s ready for more.

SOME of this blog will appear as my Neal & Pray column in www.thenewage.co.za this week. Read South Africa's brightest paper every day...

Why the Telkom KO showdown between Sundowns and Celtic on December 1 HAS to be the Teko Modise final

Cup jinx: Teko Modise, 29, has yet to win a major trophy

AFTER two enthralling semis there is only one way to tag the Telkom Knock-out showdown on December 1 between miraculous Mamelodi Sundowns and blooming Bloemfontein Celtic: it’s the Teko Modise final.

On Saturday night, Msandawana defied their status as the PSL’s worst side this season, holding off Gavin Hunt’s bus-parking, bar-busting SuperSport United 1-0 in Polokwane.

The Peter Mokaba Stadium was treated to a cup tie of the highest order as Johan Neeskens prowled the touchline knowing that, despite his legendary Dutch pedigree, he should have left Chloorkop weeks ago.

After just 15 minutes, the enigmatic Eleazar Rodgers, picked up by Sundowns when Santos were relegated last year, latched on to the end of the improving Anthony Laffor’s cross to score the only goal of the game.

From there on in, it was a case of draw-specialist Hunt – with a win, a loss and eight wins in the PSL – trying to unpark his bus and find a route to an equaliser against relegation-haunted opposition.

It so nearly came in the dying moments with SuperSport hitting the bar and having a penalty appeal turned down, but a relieved Neeskens said afterwards: “I must give my boys a big compliment, I think they deserved it. We saw an exciting game with both teams competitive. They have only lost one game in the league.

“In the second half they put more people upfront, so it was difficult to defend - they were unlucky to hit the crossbar. I think it is a terrific result and it will give everybody a boost.”

The bustling ball of energy which is Hunt was predictably less enthusiastic: “I’m disappointed not to reach the final,” he growled, “Decisions haven’t been going for us lately. We came so close, we should have had a penalty.

“It was an exciting semi-final. But we have to pick ourselves up now and get on with it.”

If Polokwane was exciting, the Charles Mopeli Stadium in Qua-Qua was soon renamed Kwaaa-Kwaaa as local rivals Bloemfontein Celtic took the lead twice in normal time (Letladi Madubanya and sub Lerato Manzini) only for Free State stars to peg them back with two well taken goals from Dove Wome.

In the end, it was the irrepressible Botswana striker Joel Mogorosi who decided the match in extra-time, his long-range header just beaten the out-stretched arms of Zambia’s AFCON winning goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene in the Stars goal.

Mweene, injured when teenagers stoned the Zambia bus after their midweek 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana at Soccer City, said: "I was fit. Luckily I was not too badly hurt. They were only youngsters, but these things should not happen. Thank God it wasn't serious. But I was ready to play and I'm disappointed not to make the final."

With head coach Clinton Larsen banned after his red card against Maritzburg United, Boebie Solomons took the post-match plaudits for Celtic, beaming: “They kept coming back at us but we never gave up. They equalised twice but we always came up with another goal.”

For Stars boss Steve Komphela, the only man in South African football capable of talking Gavin Hunt under the table, it was nearly too much: “I am so disappointed. Football is such a strange game. It makes you so excited.

“My belly was full of tension, it was so full I could burst. So I had to kick a chair to relieve the stress.”

And with Katlego Cambridge Mashego breaking his leg in two places, Komphela said: “Football is like a war, there are casualties. There are no prisoners of war. We will miss him.”

And so to the final on December 1. The venue has yet to be decided but with Charles Mopeli not attracting many pre-match pop concerts, the surface was good, the crowd loud… so perhaps we could look forward to another Kwaaa-Kwaaa showdown. The Orlando Stadium remains favourite, though Moses Mabhida and Nelson Mandela Bay have both been mooted.

And in the background looms the figure of Teko Modise, the Sundowns midfielder who holds the dubious distinction of being the best modern South African footballer NOT to have won a trophy.

Modise was picked up by SuperSport United  after winning the Mvela Golden League Player of the Season while playing for City Pillars during the 2005/2006 season. After two seasons with Matsatsantsa a Pitori when they finished 6^th and 7^th in the PSL, he was spotted by Orlando Pirates.

But while he was strutting his stuff for the Buccaneers and winning Player of the Year awards in 2008 and 2009, Teko had to be content with seeing SuperSport United win three titles in a row.

Then, when he left for Sundowns after a fall-out with Ruud Krol, the Buccaneers won two successive trebles after Modise's depature. Meanwhile Daine Klate, in direct contrast, had won FIVE titles on the trot with SuperSport and Pirates. All of which led, predictably, to talk of a Modise trophy jinx.

After his side crashed out of this season’s MTN8 against Moroka Swallows, Modise said: "It's very disappointing. We can't be talking about this same thing year after year."

This time, with Modise back to something approaching his best, won’t just be about Msandawana and Phunya Sele Sele. It will be the Teko Modise final. And I think the trophy-winning jinx may soon be at an end.