Maxwell Konadu To Get Permanent Appointment

Maxwell Konadu will be given a permanent appointment to handle the national Under-20 team as a reward for his efficiency. The Black Satellites, under the assistant Black Stars coach, will therefore be in charge when the team plays at the 2013 Africa Youth Championship in Algeria. The Satellites were rescued from the brink of collapse following a difficult time for former coach Orlando Wellington, who wilted under public pressure and resigned on July 10. The decision has become necessary following the announcement of the Confederation of African Football that the draw for Algeria 2013 will be done on December 9. The Black Satellites are looking to regain the trophy they won in 2009, when Sellas Tetteh was at the helm. The other teams are, apart from hosts Algeria, the West African trio of Benin, Mali, Nigeria, with Egypt being the only other North African side, Gabon, and DR Congo. Konadu will be given the time after Ghana return from the African Nations Cup in South Africa next February, so that he has ample time to shape the team ahead of the competition, which kicks off in March. Separate jobs? Meanwhile, there have been calls for the Ghana FA to take Maxwell Konadu off his job as the senior national team's assistant coach, so that he can focus on the youth team. Augustine Arhinful, a former national team player, said a few weeks ago: "If the GFA wants to rebuild the under-20 team and they feel Maxwell is the best person to undertake that project, then they need to give him the job. The GFA should be in a position to name someone else to assist Kwasi Appiah in the Black Stars team." Speaking to Pravda Radio in Accra, Arhinful had added: "If a game of the national under-20 team is to clash with the game of the Black Stars, is he (Maxwell Konadu) going to divide himself into two? We should look at that and come out with a positive decision that won�t affect anyone because one person cannot be the assistant coach of the Black Stars team and also be the caretaker coach of a major team like the Black Satellites." Konadu is the reigning Ghana Premier League Coach of the Year, following his leadership of Kotoko to their 21st title earlier this year.