KUALA LUMPUR – After announcing Wong Tat Meng as his new coaching director, Malaysia’s top badminton player Lee Zii Jia has brushed off allegations that the appointment involved a breach of contract.
Zii Jia’s response comes following Hong Kong shuttler Angus Ng Ka Long’s social media post expressing his disappointment with Tat Meng’s premature departure from the Hong Kong national team.
“Everyone has their own aspirations. Coach Tat Meng has chosen to resign and take up the role to coach a player from his own country. We have no right to stop that.
“But he has left us and joined the team of our rivals with just three months away from the Asian Games and a year before the Olympics – this puts us in an awkward situation.
“I knew about this a week ago, but did not believe it until now,” said the world number 15 player.
Tat Meng, previously attached to the Badminton Association of Malaysia from 2003 to 2011 and 2013 to 2016, joined the Hong Kong Association in June last year.
Speaking after his first-round win at the Malaysia Masters against China’s Lu Guang Zu last night, Zii Jia denied there was any wrongdoing in the process of his new coach’s appointment.
“Does this sound like an issue? I do not think so. We dealt with it professionally and by the law, so let’s just move on from this and try to be positive.
“We should be happy that there is finally a Malaysian coach, so let’s help each other to move on from this and chase this Olympic dream together,” he said.
As a Manchester United supporter, Zii Jia referenced current Red Devils manager Eric Ten Haag's departure from his previous club, Ajax.
“When Eric Ten Haag left Ajax, did the players or management make any noise? No.
“Coach Tat Meng has been around for a long time and hopefully with his experience he can bring me one step higher,” said the world No. 10.
He added Tat Meng’s appointment as his new coaching director was only done after Zii Jia’s trip to train with the Hong Kong shuttlers in April before the Badminton Asia Championships.
Zii Jia is currently already involved in a legal battle with his previous coach Indra Wijaya after the Indonesian rejected his offer in a bid to settle out of court following an unlawful termination dispute.
Both Angus and Zii Jia made it into the second round of the tournament. Zii Jia will be facing Chinese Taipei’s Lim Chun-Yi while Angus will play India’s Lakshya Sen. – The Vibes, May 25, 2023.
