My question is triggered by the comments made today by the following BCers in the "Misbun quits as national singles coach" thread: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/for...Misbun-quits-as-national-singles-coach/page42 racquetor: "Another big blow to BAM, Wong Tat Meng has resigned as the women's single coach. He will be joining Li Mao to coach the Indonesia team. First Malaysian coach appointed to coach the Indon team.Malaysia boleh!" Bbn: "If really true, big congratulations to Tat Meng. he joins the world class!" chris-ccc: "Surprised to read that Wong Tat Meng needs to move to Indonesia to be a world class coach. IMHO, Wong Tat Meng is already a world class coach, helping many MAS girls to perform well at tournaments." 1. Is Wong Tat Meng really world class? Consider Bbn's and chris-ccc's remarks. 2. If WTM who has never coached overseas before is considered world class, what about MAS's doubles specialist Tan Kim Her, the only MAS coach that has foreign coaching experience in KOR and ENG? But Misbun to many is considered world-class and he has never coached overseas before either. His best trainee is WR#1 LCW, but many credited Li Mao as being the coach that first helped LCW developed his game to his current level. 3. What about Li Mao himself, with whom WTM is going to work in INA? Will WTM's role be that of just assisting LM? If so LM must be world-class! 4. What ingredients must a world-class coach possess? Must he be an acknowledged champion as a player and have coached in many countries before. A coach like Morten Frost, Park Joo Bong or Rexy Mainaky? What about "The Thing" with less international exposure during his playing and coaching days? 5. For that matter, why is Hendrawan probably not being considered as a world-class coach yet?
"World Class" means different things to different people. My view of world class is recognition world wide and sought after by everyone else in the world. Wong Tat Meng has always assisted LM when he was coaching LCW, so he is building a brand name for himself just like TKH worldwide which will do him a world of good in his future career. I dont think anybody can be considered world class if he/she keeps trying to protect his job in his hometown and dares not venture out just as in other industries. The word will mean different things to different people, its just individual perception.
IMO a coach has really reached world class when : He is sought after by the big 5 of badminton ie. China, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan because they have unique abilities needed. Choong Tan Fook may qualify. Wong Tat Meng may well be on his way.
Being recognized by the badminton powerhouses is a good start, but what's next? Surely the coach has to produce results at the highest international levels? And perhaps to continue to achieve such good performances consistently? But what about foreign coaches who are hired by the less-developed badminton countries and are able to bring them to the next level? Are they not considered world class?
Good point, I think they qualify as well. A good world class coach should know what he/she is doing and not merely expected to create miracles but rather make players improve to various levels until players can think for themselves. I think the best test is peer evaluation and the likelihood of being head-hunted. Of course rankings can be in the form of outstanding ,excellent,good, or merely competent, just like in other occupations and industries. WTM I think is at present LM's understudy cum translator.
wow going by Huang Kok Hau's latest info abt WTM being Ina women's coach, I have to take back what I said. He has indeed earned international recognition.
I have to take back what I said . Looks like you have forgotten the 2007 China Open when Wong Mew Choo won (with her coach, Wong Tat Meng). WMC overcame one Chinese player after another to bag her first ever-Open title. WMC defeated; * 2007 World Champion Zhu Lin (at the Quarter-finals) * 2004 Athens Olympic Games winner Zhang Ning (at the Semi-finals) * 2007 World No.1 Xie Xingfang (at the Finals) .
Yes I forgot. I can only remember WMC being happy to undergo first training under Li Mao then MS. i remember sth like she and LCW reluctant to train under WTM and choosing to train under Misbun. I thought training under WTM was a recent move after her long injury. Indeed I am a bit muddled in this. I just watched the 2006 Msia Open again and noticed that WTM was working together with LM as singles coach.
