Laryea Kingston proposes solution to Black Stars selection debate

Debate over Black Stars call-ups has long been one of the most contentious issues in Ghanaian football, with every squad announcement sparking discussions over who deserves a place in the national team. Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston believes he has the answer, calling for a selection policy built on merit, consistency and performance at the highest level.

The former winger, who now serves as Uganda's U-17 national team head coach, says Ghana must prioritise players competing regularly in the world's strongest leagues if the Black Stars are to become a more competitive and settled side.

Speaking in an interview with 3Sports, Kingston explained that the standard of a player's club football should be one of the first considerations for any national team coach.

"If I were the Black Stars coach, I'd look at several factors before selecting players. First, which league are they playing in? Ideally, our national team players should be competing in the top ten leagues. If they aren't, then they must be exceptional," Kingston said.

The former Hearts of Oak midfielder also believes regular game time should be non-negotiable.

"Secondly, are they playing regularly? Not just making the squad, but getting minutes every week. That's how you build a strong national team."

Kingston argued that Ghana already has enough experienced players, but frequent changes to the squad have prevented the Black Stars from developing a clear identity.

"We already have players who have spent more than five years with the Black Stars, so we have experienced players. But I don't think we have a settled team. It looks like the players who play in the qualifiers are replaced by new faces before tournaments. That's not how you build a team," he said.

"Coaches must be firm and build around a consistent group of players," Kingston added.

His comments come after Ghana reached the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with discussions continuing over how the Black Stars can build a squad capable of consistently challenging Africa's and the world's best teams.

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