Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to prioritise long-term planning over the pursuit of immediate success if the Black Stars are to end their prolonged Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy drought.
Ghana have not won the continental title since their triumph in 1982, despite reaching the AFCON finals in 1992, 2010 and 2015.
The four-time African champions also suffered the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON under former head coach Otto Addo.
Speaking in an interview with 3Sports, Kingston, who currently serves as head coach of Uganda’s junior national teams, said Ghana’s constant demand for instant success has affected the country’s football development.
According to the former winger, the Black Stars can only reclaim their position among Africa’s elite by committing to a sustainable development plan focused on youth progression and continuity.
“We are football people, and we love the game so much, but it looks like we’re still relying on our past glory instead of focusing on the long term. People keep saying we have to win the Cup, but trophies don’t come easily. It’s a team sport, so you have to build. Building doesn’t take one day or one year. It takes time,” Kingston said.
Although Ghana secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under Carlos Queiroz, the Black Stars’ campaign ended in the Round of 32 after a defeat to Colombia.
Kingston believes the solution does not lie in constantly changing coaches but in establishing a structured football philosophy across all national teams.
He proposed appointing a technical leader to oversee the country’s U-15, U-17 and U-20 teams while working closely with the Black Stars to ensure all age groups adopt the same tactical identity.
“Ghana should appoint one coach to oversee the entire youth system from the U15s to the U20s, and that person should also work closely with the Black Stars as an assistant coach. Give that coach a five-year contract and let the U15s, U17s and U20s all play with the same identity. Within two years, 70 to 80 per cent of those players should be ready for the first team,” he explained.
The former Black Stars midfielder cited Spain as an example of how a consistent development pathway can produce sustained success, highlighting how several of the country’s current senior internationals progressed through the youth ranks under national team coach Luis de la Fuente.
Kingston stressed that Ghana must move away from assembling squads only for major tournaments and instead focus on developing players through a clear system that prepares them for the senior national team.
“It’s time we started thinking long term instead of calling players together only when there’s a tournament. We need to develop project players through the youth system. That’s how we get closer to winning something consistently,” he added.
