Stars coach Freese ices up in front of hacks

PUT Allan Freese on a touchline, he will tough it out with the best of them, and it's shown in Platinum Stars' form this season. Put him in front of a group of journalists and he shakes at the knees.

Following the departure of Cavin Johnson to SuperSport United after guiding Stars to a remarkable second place in the PSL last season, former assistant Freese has stepped up to the plate and then some.

Stars won their second-ever trophy with their MTN8 final victory against Orlando Pirates last month. Last weekend Dikwena slayed in-form Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 to reach the Telkom Knockout semifinals.

The tough defending, work-rate and hard running of Stars reflects Freese's no-frills approach.

His colourful, short and direct answers in post-match interviews and press conferences have amused and charmed.

He chuckles at the notion.

"To be honest, the other day I had to hold my knees [from shaking] before I answered someone. Serious. I said: 'What am I going to say now?'

"It catches you offside. Hell, this guy asks me this question - how am I going to answer this now? I said: 'I don't know man.' I said: 'We had the game, we didn't have the game'.

"I don't know - you ask me a question I should answer it, hey - straight. Maybe it's like that."

For a 10-year servant of the club who was even involved in the development of Highlands Park before their merger with Mapate Silver Stars to form what was then Silver Stars, being thrust into the spotlight has sometimes been a nerve-wracking adventure.

"Sometimes I don't enjoy the spotlight," he admitted. "I'd rather somebody else talk and I'll do what I'm supposed to do.

"Though, I have felt with the pressure at a PSL team you grow. You look at things twice before you make decisions. You put so much more thought into it. And yes, it's been good and I'm enjoying it."

It's been a long path for the 57-year-old former Pirates left back from moving to Johannesburg from Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal in the 1970s, to take a job as a mechanic, to being a head coach in the PSL.

Freese is one of three brothers who played for Eldorado Park side Leicester City in the NPSL. Trevor and Howard later went to Kaizer Chiefs. Freese also played alongside some of the greats - Zero Johnson, Tornado Ntsibande, Webster Lichaba, Patson Banda - at the Buccaneers in 1982 and 1983. The brothers' allegiance to the arch rivals made for some fiery family Christmas get-togethers.

"We would have it out. We'd say: 'You're a cheat you.' It was fun times when we related stories - what he did at his club, what I did at my club."

Chiefs legend Howard lives in Eldorado Park and is involved in a supermarket chain store. "He's the educated one - the doctor in the family," Freese said. The brothers are proud to have a PSL coach in the family now too.

"Trevor's always coaching me. Howard always says: 'You must relax when you talk on TV.' Everyone wants to educate me now."

Freese became assistant to Johnson, a former teammate in a lower league team in Lenasia, last season. He takes a glass half-full view on being caretaker-coach without a fixed contract, despite his success.

"Really, I'm grateful Stars gave me the opportunity. It's taken me to another level, to a place where people recognise Allan's talent. And I might never have had that opportunity. You wouldn't know about Allan - you'd still only know of some assistant coach. You have to be grateful for small mercies.

"Financially too, the team costs a lot of money, and people are wary of who they employ."

The former Buccaneer is delighted at Pirates reaching the Caf Champions League final.

"It grows everybody, because the next time we play Pirates we must know we are playing a team that is one of the best in Africa. So it lifts me as a coach, it should lift the players, and it also lifts the league."

The future for Freese?

"I would like to stay in the job as long as I can, or am allowed to. I'm happy that maybe we can do a lot, maybe we can still achieve more and do better at whatever we do. And maybe do well in the league again, too."

sports@timesmedia.co.za