On The Whistle Podcast

In this episode we hear from youth development coach Kerwin Jean-Pierre about how to come up with a blueprint for success and his experiences coaching in South Africa, Australia and now in Spain. Jean-Pierre compares his time in each country with a lens on how to develop the game in South Africa and other African countries. Host: Courtney Freese (host)  Guest: Kerwin Jean-Pierre (Huesca...

The CAF Champions League semi finals are upon us. 9-man Sundowns survive Casablanca while Al Ahly are cruising to yet another final. The podcast is joined by friend Maher Mezahi who interviewed Africa's hottest coach Rulani Mokwena ahead of the match to try and figure out the Mzansi Pep.   Host: Alasdair Howorth   Guests: Courtney Freese (Former Champions League Semi-finalist), Maher Mez...

In the second part of our interview with Dylan Kerr, we hear why the Marumo Gallants' mentor believes his team will survive relegation in the PSL, while he also explains how the South African minnows have made such a deep run in the CAF Confederation Cup. Kerr gives rare insight into the nightmare trip to Libya that resulted in some of the club's staff being held in the country as he outlines the...

Marumo Gallants fantastic run in Africa continues as the unfancied South African outfit beat Pyramids to make the CAF Confederation Cup semis as Dylan Kerr's charges continue to defy the odds. In this episode we are joined by Kerr who gives us insight how he outsmarted the big spenders from Cairo and looks ahead to the team's semi final match up against Young Africans - a team he knows all too wel...

In this pod we are coming "in hot" off the first leg CAF Champions League Quarterfinals. We run you through the key talking points that saw Simba beat last year's winners Wydad, Al Ahly keep their record extending chase alive, do a deep dive on Sundown's "Rhulani-ball" and also tell you why Esperance are not what they used to be. Finally we talk about PSL stragglers Marumo Gallants who have had so...

In this pod we tell you why Nigerian star Victor Osimhen will make all the difference for Napoli as he returns to action, and why his outstanding season all point to a move to the Premier League - will it be the bright lights of London, or glory outside of the capital he chooses? We also look at what next for Sadio Mane after his recent issues at Bayern Munich, give context to Eberechi Eze's resur...

In this episode we discuss the narrative around Black and African managers as we analyse whether the barrier of entry for the likes of Patrick Vieira, Kolo Toure, Paul Ince, Chris Hughton and Pitso Mosimane are unrealistic at the world's top clubs. We also celebrate African excellence in the form of Vincent Kompany who's recently led Burnley to gain promotion to the Premier League and Morocco's ma...

Favourite foods, best footballing memories and his biggest nightmare as a football player. Eric Tinkler sits down with the pod for a quickfire round of questions about his globetrotting career.     Host: Courtney Freese   Speakers: Eric Tinkler (Head Coach Cape Town City FC)         #iamCityFC #dstvpremiership #CAFCL #BafanaBafana       Follow us o...

Zayn is away but do not fret! The braai is back and it's a juicy week of AFCON qualifiers that we have to talk about. Nigeria are a mess, Cameroon are collapsing, and South Africa are having an existential crisis, what's new? Plus Morocco beat Brazil and Nigeria introduce a new selection policy     Host: Alasdair Howorth   Speakers: Courtney Freese, Francis Nkwain     &nbs...

It's down to Cape Town today as Courtney Freese is joined by Cape Town City manager Eric Tinkler. The former Bafana Bafana midfielder reminisces about the 1996 AFCON triumph, playing in Europe and his transition into football management.       Host: Courtney Freese (Former PSL winner with Manning Rangers)   Speaker: Eric Tinkler (Cape Town City Head Coach)      ...

The gang is back together. After a few months away, the brothers have come back to Africa's biggest braai. We talk Senegal's unrivalled dominance, Bradley Carnell starting life in the US with 3 wins in 3 and is Rhulani Mokwena the next Pitso Mosimane? Host: Zayn Nabbi Speaker: Francis Nkwain (sports media executive) , Courtney Freese (former PSL winner), Alasdair Howorth (OTW reporter). #TerangaLi...

We're back for part 2 of our conversation with former CAF Champions League, AFCON and Tunisian champion Radhi Jaïdi. The former Esperance defender talks about his coaching experiences in North America, Europe and at Esperance. He also opens up on why things didn't work out at the Tunisian giants and his potential goals for the World Cup in 2026       Hosts: Alasdair Howorth and Fran...

Former CAF Champions League, AFCON and Tunisian champion Radhi Jaïdi joins the braai to discuss his illustrious career from breaking into one of the most successful African clubs in history at Espérance, winning the AFCON on home soil and making waves in the Premier League. He also discusses his move into management and his plans for the future. Hosts: Alasdair Howorth and Francis Nkwain Speaker:...

Coach Alan Clark joins the braai to talk about his career which has taken him from working with Bafana Bafana all the way to the far reaches of the Kosovo national team. He talks coaching in South Africa, working with Pitso Mosimane and what needs to change for Bafana to return to the top of African football. Hosts: Alasdair Howorth and Courtney Freese Speaker: Alan Clark (Kosovo U21 assistant coa...

In the second part of our interview with Cavin Johnson the former PSL manager talks about how SuperSport United are developing into a force again under Gavin Hunt, while sharing some insight into his connection with Bafana legend Steven Pienaar, who he helped unearth before his big move to Europe. Hosts: Zayn Nabbi and Courtney Freese Speaker: Cavin Johnson (Former PSL manager) #bafanabafana #sund...

In this pod we speak to one of the brightest minds and best scouts in South Africa Cavin Johnson. In part one of our interview Cavin talks to us about establishing South Africa's School of Excellence, his roles at Sundowns, Ajax Cape Town and Platinum Stars, and seeing first hand why Al Ahly are the club of the century.  Hosts: Zayn Nabbi and Courtney Freese Guest: Cavin Johnson (former...

Three-time CAF Champions League winning coach Pitso Mosimane gets round the braai to talk about waking up the "sleeping giant" of Saudi Arabian football, Al-Ahli, and tells us what life is like in Jeddah. He also talks about how Kolo Toure and Benni McCarthy are slowly opening doors for coaches in Europe and gives insight into his friendship with Morocco's Walid Regragui.  Host: Alasdair...

It's part two of our interview with Farouk Khan, who expands on why he left a brilliant job with Sundowns to join the Stars of Africa Football Academy and why he departed the best job in the PSL to become a youth coach. He reminisces about the challenges of not having pitches to train on, how far the project has come, and what lies in the future. Host: Courtney Freese Speaker: Farouk Khan (Directo...

Today the podcast interviews the Director of Coaching at Stars of Africa Football Academy Farouk Khan and he opens up about his time at Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns. Khan also spoke about some of the brightest talents he's coached, including the outstanding Bafana star Steven Pienaar. Host: Courtney Freese Speaker: Farouk Khan (Director of Coaching at Stars of Africa Football Academy) #Bafa...

Former Orlando Pirates Ace Mandla Zwane joins the podcast to discuss his illustrious career including his move to Bobby Robson's Porto, what it was like training with the very best, returning to South Africa and a potential career in coaching. Host: Courtney Freese Speaker: Mandla Zwane (former Orlando Pirates and Bafana forward) #BafanaBafana #OnceAlways #Buccaneers Follow us on IG: @otw_podcast...

Cavin Johnson Quickfire This week we have a quickfire with veteran South African coach Cavin Johnson where he talks to us about the greatest African footballer of all time, his meeting with Nelson Mandela, and gives his take on Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona as we debate who was the better player. Co-hosts: Zayn Nabbi and Courtney Freese Guest: Cavin Johnson (SA football coach) #Messi #Mandela #A...

Mamelodi Sundowns are aiming to be the no.1 team on the continent, and in this episode we get some perspective on how they plan to do that from their Assistant Sporting Director Ryan Hunt. The former Stellenbosch FC Head of Technical Analysis gives insight into the club's data driven approach, team's philosophy and how Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City are two teams he thinks will push Sundowns i...

History makers Morocco are one game away from the final of the World Cup final. All that stands in their way is the colonizers France. Zayn, Courtney and Ali gather to chew the fat and discuss whether the North Africans can do it, or if their legs will finally give way? They also chat about Walid Regragui's legacy and what is next for him. Host: Zayn Nabbi Speakers: Courtney Freese (former PSL win...

QUARTERFINALS!!! Morocco are the fourth African side to make it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup and the first in 8 years. Join us round the braai as we analyse how Morocco has been building towards this result for years and years as well as why they deserve to be in the final 8! Host: Alasdair Howorth (host)  Guests: Zayn Nabbi (CNN Sport), Francis Nkwain (African football expert) ...

In this pod we ride the Morocco red wave and unpack what mastermind Walid Regragui has done to get the Atlas Lions firing at the tournament after bossing Belgium 2-0 and getting a credible draw against World Cup finalists Croatia. We also tell you why the jury is still out on Senegal making the knockouts, explain why Cameroon are the continent's biggest flops this tournament, and reflect on how Tu...