Laryea Kingston: Black Stars players must be active at club level or be 'extraordinary'
Former Ghana international Laryea Kingston says Black Stars selection should be based on a player's level, quality and regular involvement at club level.
His comments come after Ghana's disappointing start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, with the four-time African champions losing their opening two matches against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.
The defeats have left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point.
Speaking to 3Sports, Kingston said players selected for the senior national team should either be competing at the highest level or possess exceptional qualities.
"I will look at so many factors before you're qualified for the senior national team. A senior national team player should be playing for a top 10 team in the world. If not, he must be extraordinary," he said.
The former Ghana winger also stressed the importance of regular playing time, saying players need to be consistently involved at club level to maintain their form and continue developing.
"Secondly, they are getting regular playing minutes; either starting or coming off the bench," Kingston added.
He believes too many Ghanaian players are currently struggling for regular opportunities at their clubs, which he says has a negative impact on their performances for the national team.
"Most of our players are bench warmers in their clubs. When you look at the top four teams at the World Cup, almost all the players, even those on the bench, are active players in their clubs," he said.
Kingston added that the difference in sharpness becomes clear when players with contrasting levels of club involvement play together for the national team.
"When an active player plays with an inactive player on the same team, it automatically shows the forms. Because the more you play, the more your value and skill grow," he said.
Kingston, who is currently head coach of Uganda's Under-17 side, has also expressed an interest in succeeding Carlos Queiroz as Black Stars coach after the Portuguese resigned following Ghana's poor start to the AFCON qualifiers.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, has established a five-member technical search committee to identify a new coach. The committee is expected to submit its report to the Sports Ministry on Friday, 9 October.
Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco and are now at risk of missing a second successive tournament.
The Black Stars will return to action next month when they face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.