Middendorp was born in Freren. In 1984, he enrolled in the University of Bielefeld, Germany, where he graduated in 1986 with a degree in economics, politics, and history. After graduating, in 1987, he took computer courses at two institutions: the Gesamthochschule Paderborn Institute in Germany, where he earned a degree in special economics, computer studies; and at the Computer College Rheine, Germany, where he studied becoming a system analyst. In 1996, he attained his UEFA Pro License from the Deutsche Sporthochschule in Köln, Germany. In 2000, he began studying communication and management at PR Kolleg Berlin, Germany, where he studied through 2002.
Career
Middendorp has coached professional football on the highest level for nearly 20 years in Europe, Asia and Africa, having a UEFA Pro License from the German Football Association. In addition, Middendorp has experience analyzing FIFA world cup tournaments, as well as the EURO tournament in 2012. Middendorp started his professional coaching career in August 1994 taking over as the head coach of Arminia Bielefeld in the 3rd Bundesliga. During his tenure, the club was promoted to the Bundesliga in 1996. In 2005, when Arminia Bielefeld was celebrating its 100th anniversary, Middendorp was elected their "Coach of the Century". Middendorp coached the South African Castle Premiership team Kaizer Chiefs from the beginning of the 2005–06 season up to 5 March 2007. At the start of the 2006–07 season, Middendorp guided his team to the SAA Supa 8 trophy. The Kaizer Chiefs defeated Supersport United in the final. On 14 March 2007, he started his third stint as a coach at Arminia Bielefeld, but was fired by club management on 10 December 2007. From there he went to coach the Chinese club, Changchun Yatai, but left the club in December 2008 and returned to Germany, where he signed a contract with Rot Weiss Essen On 6 April 2009, he left the team after just 29 days. Later that year, he joined the Cypriot club, Anorthosis Famagusta, but was fired on 25 July following their elimination in the second round of the UEFA Europa League. On 16 November 2009, he replaced Gordon Igesund as head coach of Maritzburg United, his second coaching job in South Africa. On 18 January 2012, Middendorp returned to Maritzburg United after a brief stint with South African club, the Golden Arrows. He resigned as head coach of Maritzburg United on 10 October 2013, before joining Bloemfontein Celtic as head coach on 11 October 2013. He managed the Eastern Province SA Premier League team Chippa United from 5 January to 30 March 2015. In the 2015–16 season Ernst led not one but two South African Premier League teams from the relegation position to safety. He took Free State Stars from position 16 at the bottom of the log to position 10 within four months, averaging two points a game. In January 2016 Ernst returned to Maritzburg United who were then in position 16 and facing the stark danger of relegating. Ernst and his team narrowed the gap until the final nail-biting game of the season when Maritzburg United moved to the safety of position 14. Middendorp has been the mentor of Fadlu Davids, who spent much of his time learning the coaching trade as assistant coach to Middendorp: at Maritzburg, Bloemfontein Celtic and Chippa United.
