Kayode McKinnon (born November 28, 1979) is a Guyanese former footballer. He is also a soccer coach in the United States. He currently is the C.E.O. of Kayode McKinnon & Co. where he trains athletes at all levels of the game, and the technical director of KM Soccer Academy (KMSA).

Kayode McKinnon
Personal information
Full name Kayode Andrew McKinnon
Date of birth (1979-11-28) November 28, 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Linden, Guyana
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2002 Bakewell Topp XX
2004–2006 North East Stars
2005Caledonia AIA (loan)
2007 Joe Public
2008–2011 Tobago United
2010Bakewell Topp XX (loan)
2011– Antigua Barracuda FC 1 (0)
International career
2002– Guyana 60 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 12, 2014
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 1, 2015

Club career

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McKinnon began his professional career with Bakewell Topp XX in the Guyana National Football League, based in his hometown of Linden. He then joined Trinidadian team North East Stars and won a league championship title in 2004. He went on to play seven seasons in the TT Pro League, including Joe Public and Tobago United. During this time he also played with Caledonia AIA, living in Spain (Las Palmas).

Antigua Barracuda F.C., part of the USL Professional League, welcomed McKinnon for the 2011 season. He made his debut for the Barracudas on April 23 in a 3-2 win against Sevilla FC Puerto Rico.[1]

International career

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McKinnon made his first appearance for the Guyana National Team in 2002 and has since gone on to win 25 caps, scoring 2 goals. He played in two of Guyana's qualification games for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and again in qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, taking the country's football ranking to the highest it had ever been to date.[2] Though he has played extensively on the international stage, he has always been considered a Golden Jaguar (unofficial name for the Guyana National Football Team). Nicknamed "the magician" for his unique playing style, McKinnon is heralded as one of Guyana's most talented athletes in the sport.

Coaching career

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Kayode McKinnon has coached professionally in the USA since 2012.[3] He holds the FA level III-A (UEFA A) credential, the highest possible coaching license, among others. His development of an elite coaching system has taken his athletes to national recognition. As a coach he trains players at all levels of soccer/fútbol including varsity, collegiate, olympic, and professional.

Philanthropy

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Kayo's Football Academy is the non-profit endeavor of Kayode McKinnon & Co. Founded in 2008, the organization provides elite coaching for disadvantaged children. The academy focuses on providing soccer training to athletes from ages 6 – 16 years, emphasizing all principles of the game from fundamentals to advanced techniques.[4] It is based in Linden, Guyana - McKinnon's hometown where he started playing soccer at 3 years old.[5]

McKinnon has also engaged in multiple charity events, the most prominent being a double marathon of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway to raise funds for AIDS awareness.[6]

Podcast

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Kayode McKinnon currently hosts the Coach Kayo show every Saturday night where he discusses coaching tactics. This podcast is available on Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other streaming platforms. [7]


References

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  1. ^ "USL". cardiaplegia.rssing.com. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  2. ^ "FIFA Tournaments - Players & Coaches - Kayode McKINNON". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  3. ^ "Kayode McKinnon & Co". Kayode McKinnon & Co. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  4. ^ "GuyMine.com Spotlight: KAYO'S FOOTBALL ACADEMY". Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  5. ^ "The Foundation". Kayode McKinnon & Co. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  6. ^ "Kayode McKinnon- "Running for Life" - Stabroek News". Stabroek News. 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  7. ^ "The Coach Kayo Show". Spotify.
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