Accra: Swedish Football Coach, Kim Lars Bj¶rkegren, has been appointed new Head Coach of the Senior National Female team, the Black Queens. He takes over from Coach Nora Hauptle, whose contract with the GFA expired at the end of December 2024, a statement from the GFA said.
According to Ghana News Agency, Kim Lars Bj¶rkegren started out as a footballer and played for his community club in Ljungsbro, later featuring for Allsvenska …tvidabergs FF, a Swedish First Division club at the time. An injury he sustained at the age of 22 put an end to his football career, prompting him to pursue a career in coaching.
In a career spanning 18 years, Kim, now a UEFA License A Coach, has gained significant experience coaching in Sweden and other countries. His achievements include winning the Cyprus top Women's league with Apollon Ladies and the Damallsvenskan, Sweden's top women's league, with Linkopings FC. Notably, he was named Coach of the season in Cyprus for the 2020-2021 season.
Kim holds the joint record with Sven Goran Eriksson as the second Swedish manager to win two domestic titles in two different countries. His international experience includes working with the Finland Women's National Team as a Scout and Analyst, coaching Beijing BG Phoenix in the Chinese Super League, and serving as Technical Director of Manila Digger FC in the Philippines. He has also coached several male teams within the Swedish Football League system.
Most recently, Kim managed Racing Louisville in the National Women's Soccer League of the United States. His coaching philosophy emphasizes possessive, attacking, purposeful, and entertaining football, leveraging players' skills effectively. He values discipline, team organization, hard work, teamwork, dynamism, and flexibility, aligning well with Ghana's football philosophy.
With his extensive experience in women's football and a background in education and sports psychology, Kim Bj¶rkegren is seen by the GFA as the ideal choice to lead the Black Queens to greater heights.
