Coach McKinstry is a UEFA Pro Coach and Professional football manager.  With experience of coaching in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa, he has a track record of consistently raising performance at elite level - by developing teams, players and staff. 

 

Key Points:

Experienced: Head Coach, Uganda National Team; Head Coach, SAIF Sporting Club (Premier League, Bangladesh); Head Coach, FK Kauno Zalgiris (A-Lyga, Lithuania); Head Coach, Rwanda National Team; Head Coach, Sierra Leone National Team; Academy Manager, Craig Bellamy Foundation; Academy Coach, Right to Dream and New York Red Bulls. Successful: Sierra Leone - highest ever FIFA World Ranking (50th); Rwanda - best major tournament performance; Quarter-Finals of CAF Nations Championship (2016), Final of CECAFA (2015); Uganda – CECAFA Cup Winners (2019), Qualification for CAF Nations Championship 2020; SAIF Sporting Club – Set 5 new Club Records in 1st season with club (2019);  Qualified: European (UEFA Pro Licence; League Managers’ Association ‘Diploma in Football Management’); American (NSCAA Premier Diploma) and university qualified (High Impact Leadership; Performance Coaching; Sports Science). Recognised: ‘Coach of the Tournament’ (CACAFA: East & Central African Football Championship); UK Grassroots ‘Coach of the Year’.

 

Career Profile

Coach McKinstry has extensive experience of coaching in Europe, North America and Africa. Alongside his work with national teams, he had coached teams in the top leagues of Lithuania and Bangladesh.  Over the past decade he has led numerous teams to success.  

National Teams

Uganda National Team: 

Coach McKinstry was Head Coach of the Uganda national team Sep 2019 - Apr 2021.  Coach McKinstry delivered a WIN from 2 in every 3 games and went undefeated in over 8 in every 10 games played. He led Uganda to win CECAFA 2019, doing so by winning every game they played. In AFCON, under his management Uganda were the only of 48 nations to concede zero goals from open play.

  

 

Rwanda National Team

As Head Coach of the Rwanda National Football (the 'Amavubi Stars') Team Coach McKinstry led Rwanda to new heights - securing Rwanda’s best ever performance in a major competition (Quarter-Finals of the 2016 CAF Nations Championship), the first time in theri history the team had progressed to the knock out stages of a major tournament; and finishing runner up in CECAFA 2015 (being named 'Coach of the Tournament' for his efforts).

He also secured Rwanda’s biggest ever victory in FIFA or CAF qualifying (5-0 vs Mauritius); secured Rwanda’s first competitive away win in 4 years (vs Mozambique, AFCON qualifying); and placed Rwanda second in AFCON 2017 group qualifying with 6 points (both achievements having only been once before bettered in Rwanda’s history - in 2004).

 

Sierra Leone National Team

Prior to that, he was Head Coach of the Sierra Leone National Men's Football team (the 'Leone Stars') from April 2013 - September 2014, at that time the youngest active Head Coach in international football (at only 27 years of age).  

Within just 16 months (August 2014) Coach McKinstry had led Sierra Lone to their highest ever FIFA World and African rankings - 7th in Africa and 50th in the World, an achievement hailed by Fifa.com as "remarkable".  He recorded an undefeated home record throughout role as Head Coach; and guided the team to the final qualifying stages of the 2015 CAF Nations Cup, progressing through two knockout qualification rounds.

 

Club League Teams and Development Academies

Alongside his work with national teams, Coach McKinstry has coached teams in the top leagues of Lithuania and Bangladesh. He has established football academies and development pathways, and has also established and ensured the continuous professional development of a national network of football scouts / coaches.

SAIF Sporting Club (Premier League, Bangladesh)

As Head Coach of the SAIF Sporting Club (2019), Coach McKinstry led the team to set 5 new Club Records in his 1st season with club (most wins as a Head Coach in Club History; most points gained in a Premier League season; most wins in a Premier League season; most goals in a Premier League season; and best performance in both the BFF Federation Cup (FA Cup) and BFF Independence Cup (League Cup) Tournaments - reaching the quarter-finals in both).  At the point he departed to take up his role as Head Coach of the Uganda National Team he had a win percentage of 56% with 74% of all games undefeated.

 

FK Kauno Žalgiris (A-Lyga, Lithuania)

Coach McKinstry's role at FK Kauno Zalgiris (2017) centred on providing senior management of the club with guidance and advice on establishing strong foundations and robust development structures and pathways to allow the newly established football club to develop effectively in the coming years.  During his time there he Identified key areas of focus for the short, medium & long term development of the football club including, but not limited to internal club structures, talent identification and recruitment (players and staff), and training methodology.

 

Football Academies (Africa and North America).

From Jan 2010 - Dec 2014 Coach McKinstry set up and developed the Craig Bellamy Elite Soccer Academy in west Africa, holding roles of Academy Manager and Techniclal Director - placing elite young players in Europe, Asia and North America.  Prior to that he was Interim Head Coach at the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana (2010) and had worked for a number of years as an Academy Coach for the Red Bull Academy in New YorK

 

 

Qualifications, Honours and Awards

Qualifications - Sporting & Academic

Coach McKinstry is certified at the highest level in Europe and America, holding the EUFA Pro license (Irish FA); an Academy Managers' Licence (English FA); Premier Diploma (NSCAA); and UEFA 'A' & 'B' Coaching Licences (IFA) as well as a range of other professional qualifications.

He is also academically qualified in a number of disciplines.  He holds a Certificate in High Impact Leadership from the University of Cambridge (2020) and Post Graduate Certificate in Performance Coaching (2015) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours in Sport Science (2007)

He has been named as 'UK Grassroots Coach of the Year' by Manchester United FC for his work within the football industry and has been recognised nationally in the field of 'Outstanding Team Motivation' for his role in developing and preparing athletes for competition. 

 

Professional Honours

• 2019 - CECAFA 2019: WInners.  (Uganda)
• 2015 - CECAFA 2015: 'Coach of the Tournament' (Rwanda, finished runners up)
• 2015 - CECAFA 2015: Finalists and runners-up (Rwanda) 
• 2014 - FIFA World Ranking Record (Record position for Sierra Leone - 50th in World / 7th in Africa)
• 2014 - Sport NI High Performance Coach of the Year Nominee
• 2010 - Nike Premier Cup African Champions 
• 2007 - Lucozade Sport Coach of the Year, Runner-up (In recognition of 'Outstanding Team Motivation')
• 2007 - 'Team of the Year' - Sport Northumbria
• 2007 - League Champions - Northumbria League
• 2007 - National Cup Winners - British Universities
• 2007 - League Champions - British Universities (Northern Conference)
• 2006 - UK Grassroots Coach of the Year (Awarded by Manchester United FC)
• 2006 - League Champions - British Universities (Northern Conference)

 

Qualifications

• 2020 - Certificate in High Impact Leadership (University of Cambridge)
• 2015 - Postgraduate Certificate in Performance Coaching (UK)
• 2007 - BSc. (HONS) Applied Sport Science with Coaching (UK)

 

Professional Certification

• 2019 - Diploma in Football Management (English LMA)
• 2016 - UEFA Pro Licence (Irish FA)
• 2013 - Academy Managers' Licence (English FA)
• 2012 - Coerver Coaching Youth Diploma (Coerver Ireland)
• 2011 - Premier Diploma (NSCAA - USA)
• 2009 - UEFA 'A' Coaching Licence (Irish FA)
• 2009 - National Goalkeeping Diploma (NSCAA - USA)
• 2008 - National Youth Diploma (NSCAA - USA)
• 2006 - FA Teaching Certificate (English FA)
• 2004 - S.A.Q. Level 1 (S.A.Q. Ireland)

 

 

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Download Coach McKinstry's Career Summary in pdf format