KUALA LUMPUR – Badminton Association of Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh said the task of replacing singles coaching director Wong Choong Hann won’t be easy.
“Choong Hann has set quite a high bar, so finding his replacement will not be easy.
“We are sad that he has decided to resign, but of course, we need to move on and continue to achieve our targets. We will have to work very hard to make sure it is seamless.
“We probably need some time to look for his replacement. It won’t be easy, these are big shoes to fill, but give us some time,” said Kenny when met at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara today.
The badminton fraternity was shocked yesterday when news of Choong Hann’s resignation broke.
He took the job as national coaching director in November 2018 before he was made singles coaching director last year.
His resignation letter was submitted last week and had been accepted by BAM.
When asked if the world championship silver medallist’s replacement should be a local or a foreigner, Kenny said he wants to find the best candidate for the job.
“We need to have robust procedures when it comes to finding the best candidate to replace Choong Hann.
“This is so the new coaching director will be the best candidate and suits our system,” said Kenny.
The ABM setup has been hit with a string of resignations recently.
Last month, BAM chief operating officer Michelle Chai tendered her resignation while the services of high-performance director Tim Jones were terminated.
Before that, a few junior coaches had left, namely Mohd Hafiz Hashim, Kwan Yoke Meng, and Vountus Indra Mawan.
Last year, women’s singles coach Indra Wijaya of Indonesia left the setup. - The Vibes, June 16, 2023
