WAFU Zone B AFCON: Black Starlets coach wants priority of player development over trophies

Ghana’s U17 national team coach Laryea Kingston has called for player development in junior national teams.

Laryea Kingston’s side edged past Benin on Tuesday in the WAFU zone B U17 AFCON qualifiers to reach the semifinals.

A win in the semi-finals against a yet-to-be-determined opponent would give them a ticket to the 2025 U17 Nations Cup, their first since 2017.

Speaking after the game Kingston emphasized the importance of developing young players with confidence instead of demanding results.

”In this part of the world, I think we focus more on results I believe, in another part of the world, ou, this age group is just development, any win is just a bonus, or qualifying for a competitive tournament is just a bonus,” he told the press.

“We have to develop the boys, give them that confidence. if my player makes a mistake, it is part of his growth. They are young and we have to encourage them to play according to the sense of style.”

Despite getting two quick goals in the first half. the Black Starlets had a difficult second half as they grappled to keep possession and struggled to build from the back.

“They make mistakes, and they learn from those mistakes. So for me, if we start to tell them to stop doing it, I don’t think it’s good for their development,” Laryea Kingston added.

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