National teams coaching: Kingston, ex-stars take charge
In a strategic move to rejuvenate Ghana's teams, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has entrusted promising coaches with the task of reshaping national teams and nurturing talent for future success.
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Laryea Kingston, a former Black Stars player with a distinguished career spanning two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, has been appointed to lead the rebuilding of the Black Starlets, aiming to restore the team to its former glory on the international stage.
With a wealth of experience, including managerial roles at the renowned Right to Dream Academy and Danish outfit FC Nordsjaelland's youth setup, Kingston is primed to steer the team towards excellence.
Kingston, who recently earned a CAF License A and UEFA License B in coaching, will lead the team to participate in next month's West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Zone B U-17 tournament in Ghana, with the Starlets drawn against Cote d’Ivoire and Benin in Group A.
Simultaneously, the GFA is intensifying its focus on women's football development, exemplified by the appointment of seasoned figures to lead newly-established female national teams Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo, celebrated for her previous triumphs with the Black Queens, returns to the fold as head coach of the female U-23 national team.
She brings to the newly established national team great managerial insights, having previously led the Black Queens to victory in the WAFU Zone B Women's championship in 2018. Her coaching career is complemented by her extensive playing background and her possession of a CAF License A Coaching certificate.
Alongside her, Dora Zuta, a former Black Queens assistant coach, assumes leadership of the newly-established U-21 female national team, bringing her extensive on-field expertise to the
Zuta, one-time goalkeeper of the Black Queens, has strong on-field expertise and coaching credentials as she holds a CAF License B Coaching certificate to equip her to shape the next generation of footballing talent in Ghana.
The coaching line-up further includes Anita Wiredu, elevated to head coach of the national women's U-19 team, and Bernice Adutwumwaa, entrusted with guiding the new U-16 female team.
Both coaches bring a wealth of experience and expertise honed through years of service to Ghanaian football.
Wiredu's new role was in recognition of her managerial experience and knowledge gained previously as an assistant to Black Princesses head coach, Yusif Basigi, and later as Team Manager of the Black Princesses.
Adutwumwaa, currently the Prisons Ladies gaffer, holds a CAF License B certificate and also serves as a CAF License D and License C Coaching Instructor.
Notably, Charles Anokye Frimpong stands as the sole male coach among the newly appointed female team coaches.
Tasked with nurturing the U-18 national team, Frimpong's proven track record as a former Assistant Coach of the Black Queens, coupled with his coaching credentials, positions him as a key figure in shaping Ghana's footballing future.