Former Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng says the Black Starlets players are showing strong commitment to their head coach Laryea Kingston at the 2024 WAFU Zone B U17 Cup of Nations.
Kingston, who took over as the Black Starlets coach in April this year, has significantly transformed the team. Ghana is now on the brink of qualifying for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2017.
The Black Starlets kicked off the WAFU U-17 Championship with a sensational performance at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon on Tuesday, thrashing Ivory Coast 5-1.
Boateng, who attended the game, praised Kingston for his impact on the team. “We have a very fantastic coach in the person of Laryea Kingston. He is a top coach for me. He is really doing a great job, and I’m so happy for him. If he wins, we have all won. I’m happy he is doing a great job with the Black Starlets,” Boateng said, as quoted by kickgh.com.
“Laryea came from that root, so I think he knows a lot about the games and tournaments like this. You can see the players are playing for him. Anytime he steps onto the touchline to relay information to the players, the game changes.”
“Whenever players are ready to play for a coach, you have nothing to worry about. He doesn’t coach a lot because the guys know what to do already which is really good,” Boateng added.
The Black Starlets will face Benin next, needing a win or a draw to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the WAFU tournament. The team aims to reach the final, which would guarantee their qualification for the U-17 AFCON.