Ghanaian coach Maxwell Konadu’s journey with South African side Black Leopards has come to an abrupt end, but the story behind his departure goes beyond just results on the pitch.

Having joined the Venda-based club in July 2024 with high expectations, Konadu arrived as a seasoned tactician, boasting experience with Ghana’s national teams under managers like Otto Addo, Milovan Rajevac, Chris Hughton, Kwesi Appiah, and Avram Grant. However, despite his impressive credentials, his time with Leopards was marred by a difficult run of form, ultimately leading to his exit.

Konadu opened up about the reasons behind his departure, citing fundamental disagreements with the club’s management.

“I have honestly enjoyed my time here in South Africa, having come with the ambition of gaining promotion with Leopards,” he told Kickoff. “We were in second place at one point, but then came the run of results without a win. That’s when discussions with management became tough—we simply didn’t see things the same way.”

While he maintains that there was no hostility between him and the club, the differences proved too great to overcome.

“The team isn’t in a bad position at all. If they win three in a row, they’ll be right back in contention,” Konadu added, showing no hard feelings despite his departure.

With Ghanaian football facing uncertainty following the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Konadu’s exit from Leopards raises questions about his next move. Could a return to the national setup be on the horizon?

Having guided Nsoatreman FC to Ghana’s FA Cup triumph before moving to South Africa, the experienced coach remains a sought-after figure in West African football. Time will tell where his next challenge lies.