Former Amakhosi defender Howard Freese, born on 30 January, 1961 in Estcourt Kwa-Zulu Natal, celebrates his 64^th birthday by reflecting back on the many Soweto Derby games he featured in for Kaizer Chiefs against Orlando Pirates, Freese, who had his number 20 jersey retired by the Club, enjoyed a successful career with Chiefs and always relished the occasion and the rivalry of the Derby.

Discussing Chiefs’ rivalry with Pirates during his time at the club from the 1980s to early 1990s ahead of the 181^st meeting between the Soweto rivals this weekend, he explains, “The rivalry against Pirates was a hard rivalry; no-one wanted to lose. Both teams were from Soweto, it was tense neither wanted to lose. If you play Pirates, you got butterflies two weeks before… Are you going to play in that game? No-one wants to miss the Derby.”

According Freese, the occasion of the Derby was special and it was the kind of game that could break or set the tone for the rest of a team’s campaign.

“In a stadium with over 80 000 people, everyone’s eyes are on you” he says, “The Derby can build or break you. If you did well, the stats will always be there; if you messed up, it would knock your confidence.”

Freese is well aware that the Derby can have an effect on a player’s season and has advised the older players in the Chiefs team to guide the younger ones. Reflecting back to a league game in which he scored against Pirates in a 2-1 win in March 1987, he says, “I remember Doctor Khumalo’s first derby in 1987. Myself and Ace Ntsoelengoe were there to assist him, and from the beginning we reassured him that we had his back. Doctor equalized and I scored the winner after Ernest Makhanya gave them the lead. We knew how skillful Doctor was and after that game he improved and grew rapidly as a player.”

Freese stresses the importance of the older players guiding the newcomers, saying, “Any youngster that came in, the senior players would take them under our wing and in the Derby, we had to guide them because we knew this was an important game for them and the value they would hold in the future for the team. Playing for Chiefs was about respecting them team, the fans and the badge. This was the education we passed on to player like Rudolph ‘Gardner’ Seale, Ntsie Maphike, William Shongwe, Able Shongwe and the late Isaac ‘Shakes’ Kungoane. We needed to guide them and that is why they achieved success at the Club.”

The former Chiefs number 20 did not lose any of his first nine league Derbies against Pirates, winning seven of these between 1986 and 1990. Of this long unbeaten run against Pirates, he says, “Like I mentioned, we never wanted to lose to them. I think we were able to do so well against because from around 1984 we built a super team. When we played against Pirates there were a number of other reasons that helped us out, such as skill factor, speed of our game, desire and drive to do well in these matches”.

Freese, who also played in Chiefs’ first game against Pirates and the FNB Stadium in October 1989, a game Amakhosi won 2-1, believes that Chiefs can put up a good showing against Pirates, as he concluded his discussion with www.kaizerchiefs.com, saying, “Go out there and represent the badge in the best way possible, Chiefs can give a good performance. The Derby can take a toll, not just on players but those watching as well. My wife only ever attended one Derby when I played, which was in 1987. Even though we won, she said the pressure was too much. Enjoy the occasion and do your best.”