Pernell McKop
| Pernell McKop | |
|---|---|
 Image Via Wordpress | |
| Born | Pernell McKop February 10, 1965 Bulawayo |
| Residence | South Africa |
| Education | Founders High School |
| Occupation |
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| Employer | Black Leopards Football Club, South Africa |
| Spouse(s) | Zelda McKop |
| Children | Jodene (male), Shanice (female), Chelsey (female) |
| Relatives | Henry McKop (young brother) |
Pernell "Makhiwa" McKop is a former Highlanders Football Club player. He also played for the Zimbabwe national team, the Warriors at both junior and senior levels as a Goalkeeper. He was involved in the coaching of some of Zimbabwe's best goalkeepers during the Dream Team era. Some of his international protégés include Zambian goalkeeper, Kennedy Mweene, Congolese, Michel Babale and South African, Shu-Aib Walters who was the 3rd keeper for the South African 2010 World Cup squad. He was recently appointed goalkeepers' coach for the Warriors by Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).[1]
Background
Pernell McKop was born on 10 February 1965. He is married to Zelda McKop and together they have three children; Jodene, Shanice and Chelsey. Pernell is the older brother to Dream Team goalkeeper Henry McKop.
Education
Pernell attended Robert Tredgold Primary in 1972, Barham Green Primary 1974 and from 1978 he attended Founders High School.
Career
Pernell played for Rovers Junior Football Club, before moving on to play for a local Community team that played in the ZIFA Second Division, below the then Super League. Pernell was only 15 years old at the time. It was during this period that he was selected to play for the Zimbabwe Under-20 team, which included the likes of Madinda Ndlovu, Willard Khumalo and Godfrey Paradza. After high school, Pernell relocated to Harare and signed for Arcadia Karls in 1983. He played for 5 months and 8 matches and was part of the team that won the Chibuku Cup.
After his stint with Arcadia Karls, Pernell then went back home in Bulawayo where he signed for Highlanders Football Club during the last 4 months of the season and he was lucky enough to play two matches before the season ended. The following season in 1984 he signed for Eagles where he spent 2 years and played with the likes of Boy Ndlovu, Tanny Banda, Elvis Chiweshe, Rhaman Gumbo, Max Tshuma, Sugar Muguyo among other talented players.
In 1986 Pernell joined his brother Henry Mckop at Zimbabwe Saints Football Club where he had great success winning the title in 1988, the Chibuku Cup and also losing finalists in the Rothmans Shield. In 1989 he was part of the Zimbabwe Saints team that played in the Champions League. In 1990 he then signed for Highlanders where he again became a League Champion.
Pernell retired in 1991 due to a back injury which resulted in him undergoing an operation. After 18 months of recovery he took up coaching and attended courses to get his coaching licences. McKop was brought in by Roy Barretto to help coach the Zimbabwe under-23 team, where he worked with Goalkeepers; Nelson Bandura and Karim Abdul. He also coached the Goalkeepers at Highlanders and Amazulu Football Club.
In the early 90's Pernell assisted with the Coaching of Goalkeepers with the Dream Team on a part time basis where he had the opportunity of coaching greats such as Bruce Grobbelar and Brenna Msiska.[2]
In 2004 he left Zimbabwe and relocated in Cape Town, South Africa where he became a Professional Goalkeeper Coach. He has managed to work in the ABSA Premier Soccer League for teams such as Santos in Cape Town, Free-State Stars in the Free State, Maritzburg United, a team that he helped get promoted back into the ABSA Premier Soccer League as part of the technical team. He also managed to win the Title in the National First Division with Maritzburg United and gaining promotion. Pernell has also worked with Bay United in Port Elizabeth, FCAK in Johannesburg in the National First Division. At Bay United he coached Arthur Bartman was signed by Kaizer Chiefs even though he was 37 years of age and for 3 years was their number one.
In 2011 he took a break from Professional Football and started his own Goalkeeper School, in Cape Town called JUST4KEEPERS Cape Town. It's a Franchise of an international Goalkeeper School based in 22 countries and on 5 continents called JUST4KEEPERS International. Through his Goalkeeping School Just4Keepers Cape Town 3 young Goalkeepers have been signed for Clubs in their Academy's, two in the UK and one in Germany.
In 2014 Pernell took up a position in the National First Division with Black Leopards Football Club and narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier Soccer League, losing in a 3 way play off with Jomo Cosmos and Morooka Swallows, on goal difference. They were 1 goal less than Cosmos.
Clubs Played For
- Rovers Junior Football Club
- Arcadia Karls Football Club
National Team Caps
- Zimbabwe Young Warriors 2 Caps
- Zimbabwe senior national team (Warriors) 1 Cap
Awards Won
- 1988 League Title, Chibuku Cup Winner as a player with Zimbabwe Saints Football Club
- 1990 League Title with Highlanders Football Club as a player
- 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, League Titles with Kaizer Wolves as player coach, winning consecutive titles from Division 5 until Division 1
Picture Gallery
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References
- ↑ Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [1], The Chronicle, Published: January 30, 2020, Retrieved: January 31, 2020
- ↑ Michael Madyira, McKop a coach ‘Just4keepers’, Standard, Published: August 26, 2012, Retrieved: August 19, 2015
