Henry McKop
| Henry McKop | |
|---|---|
 Image Via Nehanda Radio | |
| Born | July 8, 1967 |
| Residence | Cape Town |
| Nationality | Zimbabwe |
| Education | Founders High School |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1988 -2002 |
| Known for | Playing for the Dream Team and Winning the league title with Zimbabwe Saints Football Club |
| Relatives | Pernell McKop (older brother) |
Henry "Bully" McKop is one of the finest footballers to have played soccer in Zimbabwe. Having turned played for the famed Dream Team coached by the late Reinhard Fabisch, he also had an equally impressive club career with Zimbabwe Saints Football Club, a club he captured a premier league title in 1988.
Background
Henry was born on 8 July 1967.[1]
Education Background
He attended Founders High School in Bulawayo[1]
Career
Mckop's career started with Zimbabwe Saints Junior side but later graduated into the senior side and quickly rose to prominence with the legendary Zimbabwe Saints squad that featured other yesteryear greats of Zimbabwean soccer such as Agent Sawu and former Dream Team captain, Ephraim Chawanda. He was an essential member of the squad effectively helping to league glory in 1988 with a very supportive board led by Chairman Cephas Mkonto.[2] While playing for Shels in Ireland, he featured in a final clash between his side and Sligo Rovers Football Club which they went on to win. He also spent two seasons playing in Austria before moving to South Africa where he played for Mamelodi Sundowns and won a league title with them before turning out for Wits University.
National Team Caps
Having been capped a total of 38 times, Henry Mckop played for arguably the best warriors side in years after making his debut for the national side in 1988. He was part of the Dream Team that defeated continental powerhouses such as Cameroon, Angola, Egypt as well as neighboring South Africa.[2] The team managed an unbeaten home record of 13 matches and his defensive partnership with Ephraim Chawanda is said to have been one of the very best.
Clubs Played For
- Zimbabwe Saints Football Club
- Bonner SC Football Club (Germany)
- Bristol City Football Club (England)
- Shelbourne Dublin Football Club 1995-1996
- Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club 1997-1999
- Spartak Pretoria 1999
- Bidvest Wits Football Club 2000-2001
- Amazulu Durban 2001-2002
- Vorwarts Steyr Football Club
Awards
- Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Winners medal x1 (1988 with Zimbabwe Saints)
- South African Premier League Winners medal x1 (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Trivia
Henry's brother, Pernell Mckop was also a prominent footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Highlanders Football Club before assuming the position of goalkeepers coach with the Dream Team where he coached Liverpool legend Bruce Grobbelaar and others like Abdul Karim. [3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fortune Tazvida Henry ‘Bully’ McKop: Who is Who in Zimbabwe, Nehanda Radio, Published: December 30, 2010, Retrieved: August 13, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sean Fitzptrick Where are they Now - Henry & Pernell Mckop, Bulawayo24 News, Published: July 24, 2011, Published: August 13, 2015
- ↑ Michael Madyira McKop a coach ‘Just4keepers’, The Standard, Published: August 26, 2012, Retrieved: August 13, 2015
