KUALA LUMPUR – Putting the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in the hands of former national shuttlers may not guarantee success nor return the nation’s status as a powerhouse that it once was.
This is the sentiment expressed by Penang Badminton Association (BA) president Datuk Kah Kau Kiak in response to former player Ong Ewe Hock’s call for BAM management to step down following Malaysia’s disappointing performance at the Thomas & Uber Cup tourney in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ong added that BAM management should be filled by former national players.
In a statement, Kah said “great players do not automatically make them great administrators”.
“Former players should prove their worth by producing world-class players in their respective clubs first.”
Kah also said BAM is in the process of rebuilding the team and that young players should be given exposure so they can become a force to be reckoned with in the future.
“These things take time. Even China, which was once a badminton powerhouse, is rebuilding. It does not take a day or two to rebuild a team, but many years to do so. We must be patient to see the fruits of our labour,” he told The Vibes.
He said after the retirement of Datuk Lee Chong Wei, there was no one to take up the mantle as the other shuttlers were young and inexperienced.
“It is not easy to create a world-class player. It can take anywhere between seven and 10 years to rebuild an elite team.”
Explaining the line-up that Malaysia had against first-time Thomas Cup champions India, Kah said the deciding match that saw 124th seed Leong Jun Hao face 23rd ranked H.S. Prannoy was due to veteran Liew Daren being injured from the previous match.
“Jun Hao is not in the same league as Prannoy who is ranked much higher. But we had no choice but to put Ng Tze Yong to play the second singles match.
“That was the best option that we had,” he said.
At the same time, Kedah Badminton Association president Datuk Teoh Teng Chor told The Vibes that the management has done the best to its ability to provide the best for national shuttlers.
“Wong Choong Hann is the coaching director, and we have Rexy Mainaky for the doubles. They are both decorated former players.
After the loss to India at the Thomas Cup, Rexy said: “It’s not about winning or losing.”
“Players have the best coaches and facilities. Yet the performance does not reflect the money that has been invested into the association.”
He added that it is not easy to run an association, as it takes management skills and not just the technical knowledge of the sport.
“If ex-players want to be part of BAM, they should first become president of their state BAs. If the player does not have experience in management, how will sponsors be willing to come in with funds? It is easier said than done,” said Teoh.
Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan BA president and BAM development committee chairman Datuk Ng Chin Chai also said the call for the entire upper management to step down is not just.
“You can’t just blame the management for failures, the technical department also plays a big role. Management handles all matters off the court, while the technical side handles on-court performance.”
He also questioned the ability of former players to bring in sponsors if they were to step into managerial roles within the association.
“Sponsors need to know if the association can handle things well in terms of finance. If they have no experience doing those duties, backers would be hesitant.”
Malaysia lost to India in the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup earlier this month, while the women’s team did not make it past the group stage after losing to Denmark and Thailand. – The Vibes, May 26, 2022
