The Ghana Football Association has appointed Maxwell Konadu as the Head Coach of Ghana’s National Male U23 team, the Black Meteors.

The appointment of the vastly experienced Konadu, who is currently Head Coach of Premier League side Nsoatreman FC, is key to the GFA’s strategy of taking players through a structured and consistently tracked developmental pathway and ultimately preparing them for high performance at the senior level.

It also aligns perfectly with the GFA’s overarching football philosophy of identifying, grooming and continuously improving talented players for the competitive age category teams as well as the senior national team, the Black Stars.

Maxwell Konadu brings exceptional experience to his new role having coached teams within Ghana’s developmental age groups, including U17 and U20.

The 2012 Ghana Premier League winner with Asante Kotoko has had two stints as Assistant Coach of the Black Stars, having worked under James Kwasi Appiah (2012) and Milovan Rajevac ( 2021).

Konadu’s new role is particularly exciting because of the close alignment of the Black Meteors to the senior national team, the Black Stars: The Black Meteors are the final age category team placed just under the Black Stars.

The former Legon Cities Coach, who has been working for several years within the Ghana coaching structure, is expected to oversee the further development of the creme de la creme of promising players that will come through the developmental pathway provided by the GFA through the various developmental national teams.

The former Ghana international is to play a key role in maintaining the flow of players who transition through the ranks to the senior level.

Maxwell Konadu, who played for Upper West Heroes, Asante Kotoko as well as Portuguese sides Unia Leiria and Beira-Mar, was part of the Gold medal winning squad at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique.

The experienced gaffer will be assisted in this pivotal role by former Asante Kotoko Coach and CAF License A holder, Abdul Gazale.

Ben Owu, a 1991 FIFA U17 World Cup winner, has been named as the Goalkeepers Trainer while Hearts of Oak legend, Amankwah Mireku, will be the Team Manager.

Other backroom staff named for the team include Eric Totime (Physiotherapist) and Henry Bart-Plange (Masseur) with Collins Osei Bonsu and Attah Debango serving as Equipment Officers. Eli Vorgbe will function as the team’s Video Analyst.

Maxwell Konadu and his backroom staff are expected to build a crack team to compete in international assignments and provide viable player options for selection to the Black Stars.