Laria Kingston has announced that she will step down as Ghana Under-17 coach after the WAFU Under-17 Zone B tournament.
Kingston confirmed his resignation on Saturday after a 2-1 semi-final defeat by Ghana ended their hopes of qualifying for next year’s African Cup of Nations.
At the post-match press conference, Kingston expressed his disappointment and announced his decision to retire in an emotional speech.
Kingston emphasized his commitment to Ghana as both a player and a coach. He revealed that he decided to step down while the team was in Russia at an under-16 tournament and expressed his emotions during the interview.
“For the last six or seven months, I’ve given it my all. I’ve been a coach,” Kingston said.
“After returning from Russia, I decided that regardless of the outcome of the tournament, I would move on. Therefore, after this tournament, I am leaving the position of U-17 coach.”
“I made this decision before the start of the tournament and I will explain the reasons later,” he added.
Kingston, who took up the role in April after initially serving as assistant coach, has overseen an impressive run of Ghana’s youth team with 54 goals in 18 games.
Despite their elimination, the Black Starlets will still be fighting for third place in the tournament.