Laryea Kingston, the recently departed head coach of Ghana’s U-17 national team, the Black Starlets, has shed light on the surprising reason behind his resignation. While the team’s recent semi-final defeat to Burkina Faso in the WAFU Zone B Championship marked the official end of his tenure, Kingston reveals the decision to step down was made much earlier.
”’The investment I put in myself (as a coach) [is] all because I want to change something in Ghana football. Laryea Kingston said. For me, for these six, seven months, I have given my all, I’ve done my part. As a technical person, as a coach I have done my part.”
However, the key detail lies here: “After we came back from Russia (pre-WAFU tournament),” Kingston explained, “I decided that win or lose, qualify or not, I’m moving on.” This revelation suggests his departure wasn’t a reaction to the tournament’s outcome, but rather a pre-determined move with unknown motivations.
Despite the unanswered questions surrounding his reasons, Kingston’s leadership left a positive mark on the Black Starlets. During his short tenure, the team displayed impressive attacking prowess, scoring a staggering 54 goals in just 18 games. This strong showing highlights Kingston’s influence on their development.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) will now be tasked with finding a suitable replacement for Kingston to lead the U-17 team moving forward.
