June 26, 2004

Kim Poulsen who has done a fine job with the Young Lions, will not have his 2-year coaching contract renewed by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) when it ends this December.

Instead, national coach Raddy Avramovic will prepare the Young Lions for the South-East Asia (SEA) Games next year in Manila, the FAS main objective for the season.

The Football Excellence Review Committee recent report had already stated it is time for the national U23 to start achieving some of the intermediate targets like winning the SEA Games gold & Poulsen have been viewed as excess staff by the FAS since Avramovic would be free next year with the completion of the two national team assignments for this season: the Tiger Cup and the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Both national coach Avramovic & FAS general secretary John Koh declined to comment & while Poulsen confirmed the non-extension of his contract, he also declined to comment any further on the decision.

A close friend of Poulsen explained that Poulsen's contract forbade him speaking to the press on policy matters but expressed shocked at FAS for not wanting him to continue the good work & progress with the team as continuity is so important in football if they wanted success.

Last year, Poulsen coached the U18 team to a bronze medal in the Asean U18 championship & this year, his Young Lions are currently third in the S-League.