McKop on baptism of fire at Highlanders

Danisa Masuku

The towering former Zimbabwe national team goalkeeper’s coach Pernell McKop has a message for his father: “Dad I would like to thank you for shaping my footballing career and for inculcating in me a strong character.”

His father, Chan McKop was employed by the National Railways of Zimbabwe in Kwekwe. When he was 14 years-old his family relocated to Bulawayo. Driven by passion for soccer, Pernell’s knock on Rovers FC’s door was answered.

“It was an organised outfit that had under- 14, 16 and 18. The league was competitive and had teams such as Old Miltonians and Callies,” said McKop.

In ever grateful manner, McKop pays tribute to Rovers goalkeeper’s coach.

“Dave Locke played a critical role in moulding my goalkeeping career and that of Lucky Dube, Robson Chitambo and Chris Mhlanga. I went through some goalkeeping basics that became the foundation of my career,” he said. The former star goal-minder gave impressive services to the club and before long, Arcadia Karlis took him on board. He spent a season with the outfit before retracing his footsteps to Bulawayo and joined Highlanders at the age of 17. He has fond memories of his debut blockbuster match against Dynamos at Gwanzura Stadium in 1983.

“Since it was my first match in Highlanders colours and against Dynamos I was nervous and that was worsened by the sad fact of fighting relegation but I had to give my best performance and we drew 1-1,” he told Sunday Life.

While he was still turning out for Highlanders, in a short stint that lasted for only one season, his five star performances were noticed by across town rivals Eagles FC , they got his signature.

Though the match ended with a bloody lip, McKop, speaking with pride in a nostalgic tone narrates the great debut he had. He was at Eagles stretching from 1984 to 1986.

“While I was trying to cut a corner I got involved in head on clash with Shackman Tauro and injured my lips. I bled excessively but I refused to leave the pitch. We won the match. I then went to Mpilo where I had six stitches,” he recalls.

Maybe in his deep memorabilia of soccer is one of the best historical nuggets he still polishes now and then whenever he gets a chance is a match against Rio Tinto.

“In that match I made about five saves and we won the match. I was voted the Man of The Match,” he shares.

When asked about football rituals, he laughed before saying: “Hahaha, you want to get me into trouble. We used to smear ourselves with oil and at times our team officials will put muti into the fire and instructed us to jump over the fire. At times we were given muti to smoke. I didn’t believe in it but had to do it for the sake of obedience,” he said.

He then packed his bags to join Saints in 1987. At Zimbabwe Saints, McKop played under Roy Barreto. He was part of the famous Class of 1988, coached by Baretto, which went on a 23-game unbeaten streak to capture the Super League title. For clinching the league title they received Z$7500. In 1987, Saints won the Chibuku Trophy Cup, they had last won in 1976

They went on to play in the Caf Club Champions’ Cup in 1989 and were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

McKop played alongside fellow talented players such as Joseph Machingura, John Sibanda and Misheck “Roadblock” Sibanda, Jimmy Phiri, Obey Sova, Ephraim “Rocky” Chawanda, Josephat “Mazhambe” Humbasha, Mayor Eric, Henry “Bully” McKop, George Ayibu, Chemmy Hunidzarira, Labani Ngoma, and Melusi Nkiwane.

One of the sad chapters of his footballing career was when he landed awkwardly on his back following a collision with Wankie (now Hwange) striker Lazarus Nyaramunda while trying to cut a corner kick.

“Due to a nagging back injury I was forced to retire in 1990 and took up coaching in 1992 at the age of 27. What compelled me to quit soccer are doctors who advised me that if I did not quit football I would end up in a wheelchair,” he revealed.

But in some way it helped open new doors for him and that is when he ventured into coaching, which has become a source of living for him. McKop revealed that he drew inspiration from former Highlanders and Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

But there is a striking coincidence here! McKop went on to coach Grobbelaar during Reinhard Fabisch stint’s guidance of the famous Dream Team in the national team.

What made McKop’s role more fascinating was that his debut coaching experience with the Warriors in 1994 became a litmus test to his coaching career as he had to work with someone who inspired him when he was trying to make a name for himself in the pitch. Besides taking Grobbelaar in goalkeeping drills, he also had to deal with Brenna Msiska, who was older than him by seven years and Abdul Karim Abdul who was almost his age. How was the feeling of taking to task seniors like Grobbelaar and Brenna Msiska under his watch?

“I got shocked at the challenge but through the passage of time I gained composure. The two goalkeepers were down to earth and willing to learn from a 29 – year-old man like me,” he said.

Now based in Cape Town, South Africa since 2004, he is goalkeeper’s coach for first division outfit – Ubuntu Cape Town FC.

He worked at Absa premiership sides Santos, Free-State Stars, Bay United and Maritzburg United where he was part of a technical team that gained top-flight league promotion. His protégés include Zambia’s Africa Cup of Nations winning goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene whom he began coaching as a raw 18-year-old at Free State Stars.

At Stars he also worked with Congolese goal-minder Michel Babale whom he helped earn a contract with Orlando Pirates before aiding Arthur Bartman to secure a move to Kaizer Chiefs during his time at Bay United.

After only six months working with Shu-Aib Walters at Maritzburg, the goalkeeper got a place in South Africa’s final 2010 World Cup squad where he was the third choice.

McKop was overshadowed by his younger brother Henry who was a prominent member of the Dream Team as an infield player. He says Zimbabwe national team needs to use resource people like Peter Nkomo and Msiska to scout for potential goal- keepers and train them.