The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has appointed Kim Poulsen the national youth teams’ head coach. Poulsen, a compatriot of the national senior soccer team, Taifa Stars, head Jan Poulsen, replaces Brazilian Rodrigo Stockler, who parted company with the TFF a few months ago.
The Danish tactician was officially introduced to the press by the TFF secretary general, Angetile Osiah, yesterday.Poulsen will be in charge of the national Under-17 (Serengeti Boys) and U-20 (Ngorongoro Heroes) teams.Osiah said the appointment of Poulsen was proposed by his compatriot, Jan Poulsen, and the TFF executive committee endorsed it early this week.
“Kim Poulsen was appointed the national youth teams’ coach on merit,” Osiah said, adding that that the Danish has signed a two-year contract with TFF.Osiah said Poulsen’s immediate task would be to scout for players for his provisional squads for the forthcoming international youth competitions during the Kili Taifa Cup finals kicking off on Sunday in Arusha.
He said the Danish tactician would also use next year’s Copa Coca-Cola tournament to spot the players who would be considered for inclusion in his squads.According to the official, the appointment of Poulsen was in line with TFF policy of recruiting the youth teams’ coach from a country where the national senior soccer team comes from.
“If you may recall, we did the same during the Brazilian Marcio Maximo’s reign. We consulted him when looking for his assistant and the national youth teams’ coach,” he said.Poulsen holds a Uefa diploma and he is among the top coach instructors in Denmark, according to Osiah.
Before his appointment as the national youth teams’ coach, Poulsen was coaching FC Hjorring, who earned promotion to the Danish First Division League in July, last year.
In 1989, he was named the best coach in Denmark by the European country’s football governing body.He won a similar honour in 2004 and 2005 in Singapore during his tenure as the country’s national Under-23 coach. From 2002 to 2003, he was Singapore’s national Under-18 soccer team head coach. Speaking at the same occasion, Poulsen said he was happy to land the job and he promised to work hard in identifying and grooming the youngsters.
The Dane, who boasts 20-year coaching experience, said his major task will be to identify and prepare talented young players for the national team and Premier League clubs.He voiced optimism that some of his players would earn the required exposure and attract foreign clubs.
“My task is to build a strong foundation of the Tanzanian soccer, I’ll work hard to ensure I realise the set goal because that’s the only way the country can join the best soccer playing nations in the world,” he said.
