McConnell is the first full-time appointment for the new club, which is scheduled to being playing in the AFL from 2012.
A former assistant coach at Fitzroy and Geelong, McConnell has spent the past five years overseeing the development of the country’s brightest young footballers with the AIS/AFL Academy.
Recent graduates of the academy system under his guidance include Cat Joel Selwood, Carlton’s Marc Murphy, Bomber Paddy Ryder and Hawk Cyril Rioli.
McConnell said he was excited about the challenges posed by developing the young core of the AFL’s newest club.
“Working with the best young AFL talent as AIS/AFL high performance coach has challenged me to refine my own coaching skills to design, manage and deliver an elite AFL program,” he said.
“I look forward to using my experience in a new context to create and develop this new young team.”
The AFL’s general manager of game development, David Matthews, said McConnell would be an outstanding mentor for the young players identified as potential AFL players for the western Sydney club.
“In addition to his development of the next generation of AFL players, he has engaged former AFL players such as Jason McCartney, Michael Voss, Luke Darcy and Nathan Buckley in coaching and mentoring roles and in doing so contributed to their own development as coaches,” he said.
“He is perfectly placed for this next challenge in his football career.”
AFL NSW/ACT general manager Dale Holmes said McConnell would begin scouting for young talent at the national under-16 championships at Blacktown Olympic Park in early July.
Holmes said McConnell’s experience of living in Sydney for the past three years enhanced his suitability for the role.
“[He] therefore understands both the challenges and opportunities that the market presents. That knowledge, coupled with his experience and expertise makes him well placed to develop the structure and strategies required for the talent base for the new club,” he said.
McConnell begins in his new role on July 1.
