Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has raised concerns over the current selection of Black Stars players, arguing that too many members of the squad are struggling for regular playing time at their respective clubs.
Kingston, who has publicly expressed his interest in becoming the next head coach of the senior national team, believes club form and regular playing time should be key considerations when selecting players for the Black Stars.
Speaking to 3Sports, the former midfielder suggested that a significant number of Ghana’s current internationals are spending more time on the bench than on the pitch at club level.
“That’s how come you can invite the players, or the players who are doing this? I don’t think so. I don’t think so. Because you can see, when you check most of the players, most of them are bench warmers, sorry to say. And it’s real. They are bench warmers in their clubs,” Kingston said.
He compared Ghana’s situation with other leading nations that qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that their players were more actively involved with their clubs, including those who were not regular starters.
“And when you watch other teams that got close to the World Cup, let’s say the top four, almost all the players, even players on the bench, they are regular, playing actively in their clubs,” he added.
Kingston has developed his coaching profile across Ghana, Europe, the United States and Uganda since retiring from professional football. He has also confirmed his interest in succeeding Carlos Queiroz, who left his position as Black Stars head coach on October 1, 2026.