The Rock of ages

KICK OFF: Let’s go to the beginning. How did you join Kaizer Chiefs?

Howard Freese: My association with Chiefs dates back to my high school days. I was at a boarding school and there were these hostels where one would be known as Swallows and another as Orlando Pirates. I happened to be at Chiefs hostel. In those days, there was no television and we huddled around a transistor radio and listened to commentary by legendary Koos Radebe as he would paint a colourful picture about the mighty Amakhosi.

So Koos Radebe influenced you into joining Chiefs?

It did not happen overnight. When I graduated from high school, I came to Johannesburg to play for Chelsea in the Federation Professional League. It was also during this period that I joined Leicester City, which comprised of mainly brothers from different families. There were five Mackett brothers and I was with Allan [Freese]. I later joined Dynamos in Fordsburg and from there moved to Jomo Cosmos. They had Pitso Mosimane, Neo Lichaba, Julius Sono, Lucky Molefe, Archie Radebe and Majuba Magwaza. But after two years, I couldn’t see progress. The real issue, however, was money. I needed more money and after graduating from the Rand College I felt the urge to move again.

“JOMO SAID:ʻHOWARD, DON’T COME BECAUSE IT WOULD CAUSE FRICTION WITH CHIEFS!’.”

You took a round about way before finally joining Chiefs …

After completing my Teachers Diploma,