Arnesen, who wanted to lure Olsen to Tottenham, was impressed by his friend's achievements and thought he would be a great fit for the club. However, Olsen was flattered by the interest but declined the offer, citing his commitment to his contract with Denmark.

Olsen remained national coach of Denmark until 2015, when he chose not to extend his contract after the team lost in the playoffs for the 2016 European Championships to Sweden.