FAS to part ways with Nazri, Gluscevic

National youth team coaches Nazri Nasir and Dejan Gluscevic will not be with their respective teams next year.

Under-15 coach Nazri and Gluscevic, who leads the Under-18s, have been informed by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) that they will not have their contracts renewed.

Nazri's contract ends in February, while Gluscevic's is believed to expire in April.

Under-13 coach Nor Azli Mohd will also not have his contract extended at the end of the year.

In response to queries, an FAS spokesman said: "Following the annual review, coupled with our strategic direction and future plans for youth football, FAS has decided that we would not renew the contracts of our staff coaches Nazri Nasir, Dejan Gluscevic and Nor Azli when their contracts expire in the coming months.

"In accordance with their respective contractual clauses, we had earlier explained to them our decision.

"Developing coaches is a key priority for us and we will continue to invite them to our coaching seminars and conferences."

Nazri, a former Singapore captain with more than 100 caps, led his Under-15 side to the Under-18 Centre of Excellence (COE) title this season.

Last year, the 42-year-old also guided his boys, who were then 14, to the runners-up places in the Under-16 COE league and COE Challenge Cup competitions.

Gluscevic, meanwhile, impressed with the way he has guided the batch of footballers born in 1996, which include the talented Adam Swandi and Mahathir Azeman, now based in France and Brazil, respectively.

That group of players played an attractive brand of attacking football in Canon Lion City Cup tournaments in 2011 and 2012, reaching the final in the latter edition.

High finish

This year, Gluscevic guided the Under-18 team to a runners-up finish in the Under-21 Prime League, finishing as the league's highest scorers.

Despite being told he would not be kept on as a national youth team coach, Nazri is hoping he can have a different role next season with one of the FAS' developmental teams - either the Courts Young Lions competing in the S-League or the LionsXII taking part in the Malaysian Super League.

"I would still like to be involved with one of the FAS senior teams, but not as head coach," he said.

"I think I can contribute to these teams with the experience I gained during my playing days, and I also look at it as a great chance to learn even more as a coach."