Irmscher roped in as Lions trainer

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has appointed Harald Irmscher as the national team trainer on a one-year contract, with an option to extend for another year.

The 67-year-old former East German international (right) had been attending head coach Bernd Stange's training sessions with the Lions as a guest adviser since late-May.

During that time, The New Paper reported that Irmscher could join the Lions' bandwagon as an assistant to Stange.

On Tuesday, TNP revealed that the FAS would announce Irmscher's appointment once it secured a work permit for him.

His immediate task is to work with Stange to introduce and implement a post-match evaluation template for all teams including the Under-23 side, Courts Young Lions and the National Football Academy (NFA) teams.

Irmscher, who assisted Stange with the Belarus and East Germany national teams, as well as Apollon Limasol in Cyprus where they were crowned Champions and Super Cup winners between 2005 and 2007, will support Stange in scouting and selecting players.

In addition, he will oversee the coaching licence courses that include the AFC 'A', "B' and 'C' coaching certificate courses.

"I am honoured to be appointed as the national team's trainer with the Football Association of Singapore. It is great to be given the chance to work with coach Stange once more," said Irmscher, who as a player, won the league and cup titles with FC Carl Zeiss Jena between 1968 and 1976, and earned 41 caps for East Germany.

Develop

"I am also looking forward to working with other coaches to further develop football in this country, where football is the No. 1 sport and whose national team are now champions of South-east Asia."

"I am confident my experience at the international level will be an asset to Singapore football. Like coach Stange shared at a press conference in mid-May, I am both impressed and motivated by the professionalism, vision and footballing goals of FAS."

Irmscher watched the Lions in Vientiane when they beat Laos 5-2 in a friendly in June. Though he was not directly involved with the team at the time, he had already begun analysing games and gave pointers to a few players.

During his first press conference in May, Stange said he found no pressing need to rope in his own staff from Germany to assist him here.

After indicating that he would work closely with local coaches, the Saxony-native added, however, that he might bring on a high-profile assistant to help identify talent in Singapore.

Lions assistant coaches Aide Iskandar and V Sundramoorthy will continue to work with Stange on national team affairs.

Said Stange: "Irmscher has worked with me for over 10 years, and is highly respected in Europe as a coach and as a player.

"He brings with him a wealth of international experience, ability and a track record of building and managing successful teams, as well as identifying and working with young talents.

"There remains much hard work ahead, and we look forward to Irmscher's assistance as we strive towards the goals spelt out in the FAS Strategic Plan and the mid-term and immediate targets set."

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