The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Yee Khan urges BAM to hire a former champ to run the show
- Gentle Liu Ying out to show her tough side in Indonesia Open
- Young pairs to speed up progress by sparring with seniors
| Yee Khan urges BAM to hire a former champ to run the show Posted: 10 Jun 2013 04:14 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: A former champion should be appointed as the chairman of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM)'s coaching and training committee to save Malaysian badminton from a slump. This is the earnest wish of old timer Datuk Tan Yee Khan. The 73-year-old Yee Khan, a former All-England men's doubles champion with Ng Boon Bee in 1965-1966, fears that Malaysian badminton will sink into oblivion once world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei retires and BAM need experienced and knowledgable people to revive the sport. He hoped that when the BAM's exco headed by Datuk Seri Nadzmi Mohd Salleh meet today, his plea to give calibre former players influential roles in coaching and training structures would be one of recommendations that they would take to heart. The exco will also decide on a date for their election in July, whereby a new president and coaching and training committee chairman will be chosen. Nadzmi is not seeking re-election while the current training committee chairman Ng Chin Chai said he would be giving up the post after three years following Malaysia's dismal showing in the Sudirman Cup last month. Malaysia lost to Taiwan and Germany and failed to make the top eight – despite having the home advantage in the world mixed team event. Yee Khan hopes that Nadzmi would get one thing right before he leaves the BAM as the president after more than a decade – by giving the local ex-international shuttlers a break, and a mandate to turn things around for Malaysia. "A former champion will be an ideal person to head the coaching and training committee on a full-time basis. And this person must be given the full authority and responsibilities to run the show," said Yee Khan. Yee Khan felt that the previous coaching and training committee had not addressed several issues. "My heart aches when I look at the state of Malaysian badminton. I wonder what will happen when Chong Wei retires. I foresee a gloomy future if no measures are taken to improve the situation," he said. "Just look at Indonesia. Their coaching staff comprise former champions. "Their consultants and advisers are former greats. "And there is already transformation in the Indonesian team. Countries like Thailand and India are improving but we are not moving forward," said Yee Khan. "We have tolerated many coaches who like to be compromising. They give in to players' demands and are unable to earn respect from their players. No wonder we are still way behind China, who give utmost priority to discipline in their training camp. Yee Khan said that the BAM should stop giving excuses that they could not find suitable candidates among the locals. "There are no perfect candidates. Please, I am tired of the national body giving excuses that there are no local former internationals who are good enough for the job. "Former players are experienced and they can contribute. "Give them a chance to prove themselves," he said. A few names have been tossed around like Cheah Soon Kit, Wong Choong Hann, Kwan Yoke Meng, Razif Sidek, Misbun Sidek and Datuk James Selvaraj but it seems that the BAM are not going to give them absolute authority to run the show. |
| Gentle Liu Ying out to show her tough side in Indonesia Open Posted: 10 Jun 2013 05:16 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Soft-spoken mixed doubles shuttler Goh Liu Ying is ready to show her tough side in the Indonesian Open starting tomorrow in Jakarta. After several limp performances of late, a determined Liu Ying is hoping to restore some order in her partnership with Chan Peng Soon in the Indonesia Open, dubbed as the mini World Championships, as the tournament has attracted all the big names in the mixed doubles event. The Indonesian Open is Peng Soon-Liu Ying's last tournament before the World Championships in Guangzhou in August, where the Malaysians target to reach at least the semi-finals. Liu Ying was disappointed with herself during last month's Sudirman Cup. Together with Peng Soon, they lost to Michael Fuchs-Birgit Michels in the opening match of the Group C tie against Germany and it eventually led to Malaysia's 3-2 shock defeat and failure to make the top-eight cut. In fact, the duo have yet to produce any outstanding displays this year since their runners-up finish at the Malaysian Open in January. "It was a painful lesson for me and Peng Soon at the Sudirman Cup. We were not tough enough to handle the pressure of playing in the team event. Personally, for me, I just need to toughen up," said Liu Ying. "The Indonesian Open is our last tournament before the world championships. "We just want to go all out and for once, be satisfied that it was our best efforts in a tournament," she said. Liu Ying, who recently celebrated her 24th birthday on May 30, said that even an intimidating draw had not dampened her spirit. "I would consider the Indonesian Open as the mini World Championships. All the top players are here and it will be competitive from the first round. The draw is tough. "We cannot change the draw but Peng Soon and I can change the way we play," she said. "We are not troubled over our opponents. "It does not matter who we play but what matters is that we give a solid show. Peng Soon and I had a more fruitful time in training before arriving in Jakarta and that is good," she said. World No. 5 Liu Ying-Peng Soon have been drawn to meet Qiu Zihan-Bao Yixin of China in the opening round. In their half are second seeds and home favourites Ahmad Tantowi-Lilyana Natsir and Mohd Rijal-Debby Susanto; South Koreans Yoo Yeon-seong-Eom Hye-won; and Denmark's dangerous pair of Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen. The top half are equally challenging with China's two top pairs – top seeds Ma Jin-Xu Chen and third seeds Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei – expected to fight for the ticket to the final. They are expected to stave off stiff assaults from Indonesian siblings Markis Kido-Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth, South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Kim Ha-na, Poland's Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezba Zieba and Thailand's Sudket Prapakamol-T. Saralee. For the record, Malaysian players have never reached the mixed doubles final in the Indonesian Open since the tournament's inception in 1982. If Liu Ying-Peng Soon can achieve a breakthrough, it will surely put them in good stead ahead of the world meet. |
| Young pairs to speed up progress by sparring with seniors Posted: 10 Jun 2013 04:14 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Two months of solid training and special sparring sessions with the seniors are among the plans to speed up the progress of Malaysia's former world junior boys' doubles champions Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Teo Ee Yi and Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han. Wei Keat-Ee Yi and Kah Ming-Yao Han showed that they are still not ready for the big game after crashing out in the second round of the Thailand Open Grand Prix in Bangkok, which ended on Sunday. Wei Keat-Ee Yi went down to eventual champions Shin Baek-cheol-Yoo Yeon-seong of South Korea while Kah Ming-Yao Han lost 15-21, 16-21 to Indonesian veterans Alven Yulianto-Markis Kido. National doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her had mixed feelings over the performances of his future stars in Thailand but was confident that with the right guidance, the two pairs will make it big. "Wei Keat-Ee Yi avenged their defeat to a young Indonesian pair (Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pankaryanira-Ade Yusuf) in the first round. They had lost to this pair last year (at the Indonesian Open Grand Prix). So, I am happy with that," said Kim Her. "They, however, lost to more experienced pairs in the second round although I had hoped for a breakthrough. "Both pairs are still trying to establish themselves. Their goals are to win Satellite and Grand Prix tournaments this year and beating a higher ranked pair is a bonus." Kim Her said that he would continue to give more attention to these young pairs. In fact, he will be taking both of them as sparring partners to the World Championships-bound pairs during the centralised training. "The focus will be on the team getting ready for the World Championships in August (in Guangzhou) and I have included them as sparring partners. "There will be no tournaments for them for the next two months and they will spend quality time in training," he said. "Hopefully, after that, we will see them playing with more confidence and winning titles. "For now, Wei Keat-Ee Yi need to focus on improving their physical strength while Yao Han-Kah Ming need to polish up their court strategy." With more focus and constant exposure, Malaysia can expect Wei Keat-Ee Yi and Kah Ming-Yao Han to mature into dependable men's doubles pairs for the country – in the next two years. |
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