Badminton: Rashid and Rexy told to improve standard of back-up players
News, Rashid, Rexy 9:56 AM
KUALA LUMPUR: National chief coaches Rashid Sidek and Rexy Mainaky have been asked to improve their jobs to strengthen the singles and doubles departments respectively after having fallen short on expectations thus far this year.
The first half of the year saw uninspiring performances from the men’s singles back-up players while there had been just several switch and swap exercises in the men’s doubles.
And the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) coaching co-ordinator, Kenny Goh, wants to see better strategy and planning from the duo to narrow the gap in standard between the back-up and senior shuttlers.
Currently, both coaches are only sharing the joy in the achievements of a handful of elite players.
Triple joy: Lee Chong Wei (left),Tan Boon Heong (centre) and Koo Kien Keat are the only shuttlers to achieve success this year. The title winners thus far this year are world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei (Malaysian Open, January) and the top men’s doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Swiss Open, March).
Kenny said that although Rashid had identified the problems in the back-up squad, there was no concrete plan to solve them.
Rashid has stated that the slow progress of the back-up players — Tan Chun Seang, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, Chong Wei Feng and Liew Daren — was due to their inconsistency and lack of mental toughness.
“Rashid will now have to work out plans on how to arrest the problems,” said Kenny, who is also the BAM general manager.
“He has been talking about these weaknesses of the players quite often. What is he doing to improve the situation? Hopefully, this will be the focus in the next six months.”
In the men’s doubles, there had been several changes in partnership and it was difficult to keep track of the progress of the back-up players.
On top of that, the decision by Gan Teik Chai and Tan Bin Shen to leave the national team has also forced the coaches to make another round of changes.
World junior champion Lim Khim Wah was left without a partner for the men’s doubles. He now trains with Ng Paou Ling in the mixed doubles.
The current men’s doubles back-up pairs are Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong, Khoo Chung Chiat-Ong Soon Hock, Hoon Thien How-Lin Woon Fui and Vountus Indra Mawan-Goh Wei Shem.
“Rexy has made some changes but he has to start building up these pairs. Some new pairs have not been tested in tournaments,” said Kenny.
“We used to boast of having quality doubles pairs. Whatever decisions taken by the chief coaches must be supported with a clear objective and strategy.
“We hope that there will be a clearer direction for the back-up players in the second part of the year. And there should be targets set for them too.”
Kenny added that the BAM hoped to see better performances from the back-up players in the next six months or they risk being dropped from the team.
All the back-up players will get to make their marks in the Pahang Open, which will be held in Kuantan from May 26-29.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 9:56 AM.
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