Laryea Kingston has resigned as head coach of Ghana’s U-17 team following their failure to qualify for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana were defeated 2-1 by Burkina Faso in the semifinals of the WAFU B Championship on Saturday at the University of Ghana Stadium. A victory would have secured their place in next year’s tournament.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, Kingston expressed his disappointment over the team’s inability to meet their target and announced his resignation.
Kingston, who was appointed head coach in April after initially serving as an assistant, reflected on his tenure. He emphasised his dedication to changing the narrative around Ghanaian football and highlighted his efforts and sacrifices both as a player and a coach.
“I know Ghanaians know me as a player and are familiar with the sacrifices I made for the country during my playing days.”
“I gave my all as a player, but in the end, I wasn’t happy. I put more focus on my coaching career and educated myself to make sure I came back to change the narrative around Ghana Football.” Kingston said
He added, “Within these past seven months as head coach, I’ve given my all. I decided when we came back from Russia that I would resign after the WAFU competition. The explanation will come later.”
During his time with the team, the Black Starlets played 17 matches, scoring 54 goals and conceding 15.
Despite these efforts, the team fell short in their crucial match against Burkina Faso, leading to Kingston’s decision to step down.
