Magesi’s Allan Freese appointment raises questions than answers

You have to understand the direction Magesi are taking. It has worked before. But from where I’m standing, the script and the cast have changed – which means the outcome won’t be the same. Unfortunately.

The club hired Allan Freese as their coach this week, replacing John Maduka. It was a bizarre appointment, if you ask me – though clearly not in the eyes of the club’s decision-makers.

Apart from serving as Rulani Mokwena’s assistant at Wydad Casablanca for much of last season, Freese had largely faded from the face of South African football, coaching in the lower divisions.

Mokwena said the decision was motivated by the belief that Freese “brings a club pedigree” and success. That isn’t far from the truth. He succeeded at the now-defunct Platinum Stars, both as an assistant coach and later as a head coach.

He won trophies. I remember his team beating Orlando Pirates in back-to-back finals in the MTN8 and the Telkom Knockout (now known as the Carling Knockout). He had earlier lifted the Telkom Knockout with Silver Stars while serving as Owen Da Gama’s right-hand man, guiding a squad brimming with youthful energy and hunger.

But that’s not the point.

With Mokwena having been groomed by Freese during their time at Stars, I believe that relationship played a significant role in bringing him to Wydad. Mokwena admitted he was still young to coach at club of Wydad's calibre and wanted someone experienced to guide him from behind.

Here’s where my concerns lie. Mokwena’s agent – who may also represent Freese – Steve Kapeluschnik, is excellent at what he does. Perhaps he sold the 69-year-old mentor to the club convincingly.

Secondly, I suspect Magesi were able to secure Freese’s services partly because of his association with his predecessor, Da Gama, whose heroics rescued the club last season from a near-identical slump to the one they face now.

If that’s the case, then I believe they may have got this appointment wrong.

I’m not questioning his experience or his connections within football circles, but I struggle to see what he has done in recent years to suggest he is the right man to save a team from relegation.

The last time Freese was in charge of a club was Highlands Park before he joined Wydad,  and they were campaigning in the ABC Motsepe League – a sign that his career appeared to be winding down before Mokwena came calling.

Of course, I will gladly admit I could be wrong. The 69-year-old may well prove me mistaken by steering Magesi to safety. But in a league filled with unpredictability this season, that feels unlikely.

Magesi needed someone who could make the squad understand what this league demands – what it takes to survive and how to handle the pressure that defines crunch time.

They could have asked Chippa United’s Siviwe Mpengesi how it’s done. Chippa have never hesitated to make SOS calls to coaches who have rescued them from relegation danger, with Lehlohonolo Seema being a prime example.

So, instead of turning to Freese, perhaps Magesi should have recalled Da Gama. “Rubber Doll” was expected to take them down last season, yet through a mix of resilience, tactical tweaks, and Seshego Stadium becoming something of a fortress, he proved his doubters wrong, including myself.

Now, with both Lady Luck and the aura of Seshego seemingly having deserted them, what will Freese rely on to spark change at Magesi?

Answers are hard to come by.

Perhaps Saturday’s home league clash against Lamontville Golden Arrows will offer some clarity. For now, though, the appointment feels puzzling – almost as if it was based more on connections than conviction.

And that is dangerous in modern football, because the game evolves – just like people.