The Bafana Bafana ace, who has played a key role in Downs' dominance of the league standings, endured a lengthy lean period at Orlando Pirates before joining the Brazilians midway through last term.
Neeskens says Modise simply needed to be reminded of his worth.
"I knew he was a special player when I saw him at the start of the season and I showed him mutual respect," said the Dutchman.
"But it's not just Teko - respect is the same with all the players in the squad.
"It's important to remind players of their abilities and give them the confidence."
Looking towards Wednesday's trip to mid-table AmaZulu, Neeskens expects a test at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium.
"I know AmaZulu and how they play," he said.
"Especially playing them at their home, they won't make it easy for us.
"They will also be aiming to please their supporters in the first match of the year."
Meanwhile, Neeskens hopes his table-topping charges can pick up from where they left off before the league was suspended for the Africa Cup of Nations.
"If it was up to me I would have preferred that we didn't take the break because of how the team was playing," he said.
"The friendly matches we've played won't count because we are now starting from scratch - but so does everyone, so it's not just us.
"We have to continue from where we left off last year by getting a good start. This is important."