DANISH coach Roald Poulsen, who won bronze with the Zambia national soccer team at the 1996 African Nations Cup has died aged 73.
Poulsen is a towering figure, having revolutionised Zambian football post the Gabon air crash that claimed the cream of national team players in 1993.
“He died this week. He has been sick for a long time. He worked as a coach in his spare tme up until last year. He died in Odense,” Jonas Dalgaard, a journalist with Danish tabloid, B.T, said.
Former Times of Zambia sports reporter Beauty Lupiya who is based in Denmark also confirmed Poulsen’s demise.
“Yes. Unfortunately. I heard on Danish TV news last night at around 8:30 pm. The last time I talked to him was three weeks ago when he said he was not getting better and was immobile. I had no idea it was the last time I would ever talk to him,” Lupiya said.
Poulsen took over the Zambia national during its reconstruction phase during the team’s month long camp in Denmark at the invitation of the Danish government in the aftermath of the Gabon Air crash in 1993.
He masterminded the Chipolopolo’s qualification to Tunisia ’94 but was replaced by Scottish Ian Porterfield who was in charge when Zambia finished runners-up to Nigeria.
When he returned, Poulsen blended the Chipolopolo with the Under-23 national team and guided the Chipolopolo to South Africa 1996 where Zambia were third finishers.
Following the suspension of Jan Brouwer for the 2002 Africa Cup, Poulsen was roped in for a short stint that ended with Zambia getting kicked out in the preliminaries of the biennial tournament.
It was his last time he was coach for Zambia.
His style was a blend of flair and attacking football that made Zambia one of the most feared teams in Africa.
Former Chipolopolo coach Patrick Phiri said Poulsen was instrumental in charting his coaching trajectory.
“Personally I would not be where I am today had it not been the help he gave me. He will always have a special space in my heart. He was not just a coach but a friend to humanity and to all the coaches in Zambia. He was never racist,” Phiri said.
He said Poulsen came to Zambia at the nation’s worst time when after losing the national team in a plane crash off the coast of Libreville in Gabon.
“He worked tirelessly to heal a broken nation. Above all, he is of the many noble people who helped Zambia overcome the nation’s darkest moment in living history when we lost our dear young heroes out there on the shores of Gabon. May His Soul Rest in Eternal Peace,” Phiri said.
Botswana-domiciled Zambian coach Mike Sithole said Poulsen was one of the best coaches who had graced Zambian football, especially after the Gabon disaster.
“I was privileged to have worked with him. A down-to-earth coach who was willing to listen to your views. I went to Denmark for a football coaching, he was always available to advise where necessary. A really great loss,” Sithole said.
He said the camping of the national team in Denmark before the resumption of the African Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers was great blessing because there wasn’t much time to prepare.
“Hence we managed and participated effectively,” Sithole said.
National team goalkeepers coach Davies Phiri regretted the death of Poulsen.
“I just read. Very sad indeed. He played a very big role in Zambian football especially with the national team. He was part of the rebuilding of the squad after the Gabon disaster. Then again he came back and was part of the U20, U23 and the national team,” Phiri said
He added:” Personally he liked me very much. He transformed me and taught me alot to be a professional player. He groomed me to be a better goalkeeper. He believed in me and that’s how I became the national team goalkeeper.”
There is too much to talk about his work in Zambia.
Dalgaard said Poulsen will be hounoured at OB Odense’s next home match.
Poulsen is also credited for blending old and new players.
Strikers Mwape Miti and Douglas Mwamba, midfielders Andrew Tembo and Evans Sakala and defenders Elijah Litana, Hillary Makasa and Harrison Chongo and goalkeepers James Phiri and Davies Phiri all came to the scene during Poulsen’s era.
Those, with the likes of Kalusha Bwalya, Aggrey Chiyangi, Modon Maliti live and a few others formed a team that was revered across the world.
Such influence on the Zambian game immortalises the Dane.
By Benedict Tembo
Fare thee well legend; MYSRIEP.
He was good and honest. He didn’t come to do business through the dubious sale of players and shoddy deals with football agents and administrators like what we’re seeing today. He was a man of integrity.