Kim Her in negotiations with BAM on coaching job

[ants]

TheStar
May13

PETALING JAYA: After proving himself as a good doubles coach with the South Korean elite team, Tan Kim Her is eager to return home to continue with his coaching career.

Negotiations are currently taking place between the BA of Malaysia (BAM) and Kim Her and the coach, who returned home yesterday for a short break, was looking forward to a bigger challenge with the Malaysian side.

“I am always grateful to the BAM for giving their blessing when I left the country to coach the Korean team one and a half years ago. The experience of coaching in South Korea has been great for me,” said Kim Her.

Following the retirement of Korean greats Kim Dong-moon-Ha Tae-kwon and Lee Dong-soo-Yoo Yong-sung, Kim Her had a big burden of grooming the Korean youngsters into world beaters.

But he showed his prowess when he helped newcomers Jae Jung-sung-Lee Jae-jin. Hwang Ji-man-Han Sang-hoon and Lee Yong-dae break into the world’s best.

In fact, at the Thomas Cup Finals in Japan recently, the scratch combination of Jung-sung-Ji-man defeated Chan Chong-Ming-Koo Kien Keat in the quarter-final tie between South Korea and Malaysia.

Malaysia now have Indonesia’s Rexy Mainaky as the national doubles coach. He is assisted by Pang Cheh Chang and Chang Kim Wai.

The 35-year-old Kim Her said: “Rexy is doing a wonderful job with our doubles players. I am looking forward to working together with Rexy and also Rashid (Sidek, the Project 2010-2012 coach) to whip up world-beaters. I am interested to come home to coach but currently, I am discussing with the BAM on where I would fit in.”

With six men’s pairs currently in the national elite team, Kim Her could share the coaching load.

Prior to leaving the country, Kim Her was the assistant coach to Yap Kim Hock, who was then the country’s doubles chief coach. Kin Hock is now chief coach.

Yesterday, the BAM secretary P. Ganga Rao confirmed that discussions had taken place with Kim Her.

“Of course, the presence of Kim Her will give us more options. His experience in coaching the Koreans will be valuable for us. We know eventually Kim Her will return home to coach,” said Ganga.

Kim Her’s contract with the Koreans ends this year. If the BAM reject Kim Her’s offer to coach the Malaysians, he is expected to stay in South Korea until the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

[event]

In fact, at the Thomas Cup Finals in Japan recently, the scratch combination of Jung-sung-Ji-man defeated Chan Chong-Ming-Koo Kien Keat in the quarter-final tie between South Korea and Malaysia.One shouldn't forget the arguably bigger upset of the world's #30 (but German Open winners) Jung/Lee over #2 Candra/Sigit in group play.

[xijiayu]

I feel sorry for Korean pairs if Kim Her left Korean for Malaysia. Personally, I am happy to see these young Korean's promosing performance, as this would justify the ability of Kim Her in coaching. He may be more valuable if these pairs manage to make breakthrough internationally.

[zzz...]

Looks like foreign coaches can't stay long in Korean team. May be the Koreans don't treat foreign coach as equal.

[event]

Looks like foreign coaches can't stay long in Korean team. May be the Koreans don't treat foreign coach as equal.On what would you base that assumption? Foreign coaches? I see one name here. He had a contract which expired and now he wants to go home. That doesn't sound so unusual. Your explanation is plausible but so are a hundred others. Maybe he doesn't like cold weather. Maybe the fact that finding non-Korean Asian food is next impossible is getting him down. Maybe he just really wants to work with Rexy. Maybe he isn't married and feels his dating prospects are better at home. Maybe he is married and his wife or kids don't like it here. Maybe he misses the taste of mangosteens. I just wonder whether there is something that would make you seize on that one explanation.

[event]

I feel sorry for Korean pairs if Kim Her left Korean for Malaysia.I think he's done a great job but I don't know if I'd go so far as to say I'd feel sorry for them. Lee Jae-jin and Jung Jae-sung were not yet under his tutelage when they won their two national championships, beating Korea's Athens finalists in consecutive years 2004 and 2005.