Sports
Black Queens get new Head Coach
Swedish Football Coach, Kim Lars Björkegren, has been appointed new Head Coach of the Senior National Female team, the Black Queens.
He replaces erstwhile Coach, Nora Hauptle, whose contract with the GFA expired at the end of December 2024.
Kim Lars Björkegren started out as a footballer and played for his community club in Ljungsbro, later featuring for Allsvenska Åtvidabergs FF (Swedish First Division club at the time).
An injury he sustained at the age of 22 put an end to his football career and he chose to pursue a career in Coaching.
In a career covering 18 years, Kim, now a UEFA License A Coach, has gained significant experience and success coaching in Sweden and other countries. Kim’s successes include his winning the Cyprus top Women’s league with Apollon Ladies as well as the Damallsvenskan (Swedish Women’s top league) with Linkopings FC. In the 2020-2021 season, he was adjudged the Coach of the season in Cyprus.
Kim holds the joint record with the renowned Sven Goran Eriksson as being the second Swedish manager to win two domestic titles in two different countries.
Kim Björkegren worked with the Finland Women’s National Team as a Scout and Analyst.
He has also coached Beijing BG Phoenix in the Chinese Super League (placing third in both the Chinese Women’s FA Cup and Super Cup in 2018) and has worked as Technical Director of Manila Digger FC of the Philippines. Kim also coached a number of male teams at various levels of the Swedish Football League system.
Most recently, Kim has been manager of Racing Louisville in the National Women’s Soccer League of the United States of America [USA].
Kim’s philosophy of football is to play possessive attacking, purposeful and entertaining football, utilizing the skills of his players in the best possible way, thus making him a flexible and adaptable Coach.
He places a lot of emphasis on discipline, team organization, hard work, teamwork, dynamism and flexibility. This philosophy merges well with Ghana’s football philosophy.
With his coaching experience in Women’s Football, coupled with a background in Education and Sports Psychology, Kim Björkegren is viewed by the GFA as the ideal choice to take over the coaching reins of the Black Queens and lead them to greater heights.
GFA COMMUNICATIONS
Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew says Ghana will leave nothing on the pitch when they face England in today’s World Cup Group L decider at Gillette Stadium.
With both teams on 3 points, Ayew said his job is to ease pressure on the younger players and hold everyone accountable, himself included.
“I’m doing my best to guide the boys, make them comfortable, take pressure off them, and help us perform,” Ayew told reporters. “I have to perform too. They have to perform too. It’s teamwork. We’re helping each other.”
Ghana come into the Foxborough clash after a 1-0 win over Panama in Toronto. England beat Croatia 4-2 in their opener.
The captain’s message was simple, “We’re going to give our 100% and we’re going to fight. I’ll make sure when we come off that pitch, we have no regrets.”
The winner takes control of Group L. Kickoff is 4:00 PM ET at Gillette Stadium.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Black Stars forward Brandon Thomas-Asante insists Ghana will carry no pressure into Tuesday’s World Cup showdown with England at Boston Stadium, saying the team’s self-belief and sense of purpose outweigh outside expectations.
Brandon provided a 95th minute assist that helped Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in Toronto.
The win left both Ghana and England level on three points in Group L following the Three Lions 4-2 over Croatia in their opening match.
Speaking to ghanafa.org Thomas-Asante is adamant that external doubt only fuels the squad.
“Everything to the best ability, it’s very much a case of we back ourselves, we believe in ourselves. Whether people on the outside doubt us, believe us, or anything that’s not what we think about. We think about why we’re here. We’re on a mission,” Thomas-Asante said.
The Coventry City forward said that mission removes any weight of expectation. “That means there’s no pressure. It’s even less pressure for us,” he explained.
“We know our fans believe, but we know that some people might want to overlook us. We use that to our advantage preparing properly and believing that we can go and do something,” He added.
England and Ghana both sit on three points heading into the Foxborough clash, with the winner set to take control of Group L. Kickoff at Boston Stadium on Tuesday.
GFA COMMUNICATIONS
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