A Portugal-bound Mamelodi Sundowns official has confirmed his imminent departure from the DStv Premiership champions.
The club is set to lose its head of methodology and academy, Shawn Bishop, at the end of June.
Bishop completed his Master in High Performance Football from the Faculty of Human Movement at the University of Lisbon.
SHAWN BISHOP SET FOR PORTUGAL MOVE
He started the programme in 2019 and was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
While in Portugal, Bishop was pictured with top Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, currently at the helm of Italian giants Roma.
The University uses its former students and alums network to enhance this experience by arranging meetings and talks with High-Performance Coaches.
Mourinho, a two-time UEFA Champions League winner, graduated from the University in 1987.
Several internationally-acclaimed coaches, such as Andre Villa Boas and Carlos Queiroz, also graduated from the institution.
Bishop has previously explained that to be a coach in Portugal, one needs to complete a degree in Physical Education and Football from a University.
This should happen before one can obtain qualifications like the UEFA Licensing from the Football Association.
The Sundowns academy boss has since landed a job at an unnamed club in Portugal and is set to leave in two months.
CONFIRMS THE IMMINENT MOVE
“Yes, I will be leaving on the 30th of June. I’ll be immigrating to Portugal,” Bishop told FARPost.
“The club will make an announcement soon. Dr [Patrice]Motsepe has been unbelievable. I’m going there to pave the way for our junior players.
He believes his move will help foster relations between Sundowns and his new club in Portugal.
Bishop was immersed in the Benfica Academy during his visit to Portugal last year.
He closely followed the club’s UEFA Youth League and National League Champions, where their Under 19s were involved.
He joined Sundowns as a head scout in 2011 after a stint with the Berea Albion FC and spent two years at the Brazilians.
Between 2013 and 2023, he headed the academy, a position he will soon leave.
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