James Selvaraj suggests four-year programme to Badminton Association of Malaysia
The HIGH Performance Director of Badminton Association of Malaysia, Datuk James Selvaraj has suggested a four-year programme for the mega events of Olympics and Thomas Cup 2016.
Former national shuttler and coach Selvaraj feels that starting this programme, immediately this year, will put the country on the right track to reach the maximum heights in these esteemed team events.
He believes that a national hunt for talented singles player should be launched instantly to replace the veterans in the squad since Malaysia was tagged as weak squad in the Thomas Cup qualifiers but they still managed to reserve their spot in the finals.
Datuk Selvaraj is aware of the fact that fresh blood should be injected to revitalize the badminton soul and start preparing in advance for the future.
He said, “We must try and do our best in the final rounds but there should be a four-year special programme to prepare a team that can aim to win the Thomas Cup in 2016. The selected players will also be targeting the 2016 Olympics and other major events
like the Asian and Commonwealth Games and the programme should be comprehensive.”
Malaysian doubles reserved players have big potential to substitute the current national pairs Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem by next Olympics but the singles department has no true successor of the maestro Lee Chong Wei.
A complete lot of top Malaysian shuttlers is expected to bid farewell in next couple of years as the World Number one Lee Chong Wei, 32nd ranked Hafiz Hashim and World Number 50 Arif Abdul Latif have come of age. Even relatively young Daren Liew will turn
27 by the next Olympics.
James Selvaraj feels that this is high time for BAM to nurture young players like Zulfadli Zulkiffli, Misbun Ramdan Misbun, and Goh Soon Huat.
He said, “Young players like Ramdan, Zulfadli and Soon Huat can all come into this programme and Daren can also be part of this if he continues his progress.”
This proposal will be discussed in next meeting of the Coaching and Training committee (CTC) tomorrow.
On the other hand, women’s singles coach Chi Shanrong is also under threat of losing her job after the terrible performance of Malaysian female shuttlers in the Thomas Cup qualifiers. There could be an announcement of a temporary coach for the women’s team
at end of the meeting.
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