KUALA LUMPUR: Some cheers and smiles were back in the coaching stable of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) on Monday after another round of change.
All the national coaches were reinstated in their original positions as BAM launched their new project – Project Win-Win – with the aim of becoming champions in the Olympic Games, Thomas Cup, Asian Games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
The BAM also decided not to proceed with the plan to form Teams A, B and C, which caused some uneasiness among the coaches as many were moved around. Instead, they will stick to just one national team.
Most of the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) coaches, who were earlier promoted to the national team, have been sent back to the school programme. The national team will be headed by Talent Management Group (TMG) director Tan Aik Mong and assisted by assessor Razif Sidek.
The coaches are Tey Seu Bock and Hendrawan (men’s singles), Paulus Firman and Pang Cheh Chang (men’s doubles), Wong Tat Meng, Ronny Agustinus, Woon Sze Mei (women’s singles), Rosman Razak and Chin Eei Hui (women’s doubles), Jeremy Gan and Wong Pei Tty (mixed doubles).
Only Ronny, Cheh Chang, Sze Mei and Pei Tty are from the BJSS set-up.
Yesterday, BAM president Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, who spent more than six hours to explain, empower and motivate the coaches over the new initiatives, said that it was time to turn over a new leaf.
“We had a good session where all the coaches gave their inputs today.
“We launched Project Win-Win and the coaches have a challenging job to produce winners in these upcoming major tournaments – Thomas Cup Finals, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games next year,” said Tengku Mahaleel.
Mahaleel said that the coaches were given a big role to contribute. “We gave the coaches the opportunity to choose where they can contribute the best and they voluntarily did. Some of them have gone back to BJSS and some back to the national team. There are no more different teams,” he said.
“During the meeting, the coaches also ranked their players from No. 1-5. Together, they also identified four potential world champions. We will be focusing on these players.
“The coaches also gave names of potential players outside of BAM and we will call these players to attend matchplays with the national team and give them the opportunity to represent the country if they are good enough. This will be an ongoing process.”
When asked whether Rashid Sidek would be recalled for the national team now that the system has changed again, Mahaleel said: “We have to wait for the findings over his contract with Indian Badminton League (IBL).
“It will be presented to the council. It will be up to the council to make a decision on him – if he (Rashid) wants to join the national team again.”
Rashid quit the national team on Thursday because he was not comfortable working under the new coaching environment at that time.
