I apologize for the embarrassment my resignation caused – Laryea Kingston

Laryea Kingston, a former Black Stars player, has apologized for stepping down as Ghana U17 head coach.

In a statement released to the media today, Kingston said his actions after Ghana lost against Burkina Faso in the WAFU Zone B U-17 last Saturday could have been better.

He announced his resignation after his team lost the semifinal 2-1 at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.

Kingston communicated his decision at his post-match press conference with the Ghana Football Association subsequently accepting his resignation and putting his assistant coaches in charge of the team ahead of Tuesday's third place playoff match against Nigeria.

“My position was clear then and remains that having failed to reach the final of the tournament, which serves as an automatic qualification to the CAF U17 African Championship and a route to the FIFA World Cup, I believe we fell short of our objectives, and as the leader of the team, I take full responsibility and sincerely apologize for letting down everyone who has been negatively impacted by this.

I apologize unreservedly for our failure to pay back the trust, love and support we have graciously received from Ghanaians,” he said in the statement.

“My position was clear then and remains that having failed to reach the final of the tournament, which serves as an automatic qualification to the CAF U17 African Championship and a route to the FIFA World Cup, I believe we fell short of our objectives, and as the leader of the team, I take full responsibility and sincerely apologize for letting down everyone who has been negatively impacted by this,” he added.

Kingston, a former Black Stars midfielder, took over the Black Starlets to revive the team's fortunes and lead them back to continental success. Despite a promising start in the group stage, where the team secured victories against Ivory Coast and Benin, the Black Starlets faltered when it mattered most.

The semifinal match against Burkina Faso highlighted the team's defensive frailties, with two critical errors leading to goals for the opposition.

Kingston's side managed to equalize after falling behind early, but another lapse in defense allowed Burkina Faso to secure their place in the final, leaving Ghana out of the U-17 AFCON for the third consecutive edition.

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