Current Squad: 1. LEE CHONG WEI – Should be kept in BAM plan for Thomas Cup 2012.Inspirational leader and someone that young player will look up. Definitely YES for 2012. 2. WONG CHOONG HANN – Too old for Thomas Cup 2012. However BAM can utilized this former No. 2 player as sparring partner for young player to get use with professional playing level. He’s just 33 this year and still got the skill. However definitely NO for 2012. 3. MUHAMMAD HAFIZ HASHIM – He got his chance and past his prime. Same age with Chong Wei but not his playing career. BAM should consider younger player other than him in Thomas Cup 2012 due to his inconsistency. But he can play Choong Han role like this year if there are no other player emerge within these two years. Probably NO for 2012. 4. KOO KIEN KEAT / TAN BOON HEONG – Essential in BAM plan for Thomas Cup 2012. They proved their ability and Malaysia can rely on them. Keep your consistency and seal your place in Thomas Cup squad. Definitely YES for 2012. 5. MOHD ZAKRY ABDUL LATIF / MOHD FAIRUZIZUAN MOHD TAZARI – Member of Thomas Cup squad in 2008/2010. Current ranking is 20th and if they want to keep their places in the squad, win some title, bring back your confidence and move your rank among top 10 pair in the world. That’s all. Prove your worth and a YES for 2012. POTENTIAL SQUAD MEMBER FOR THOMAS CUP 2012 Here are some potential squad members for Thomas Cup 2012 based on their performance last year and earlier this year. Single 1. TAN CHUN SEANG – current ranked 70th in the world. 24 years old and had been suspended by BAM last year due to his complaint of lack quality tournament. Regret his action and had been brought back to national team. Since then had been Chong Wei sparing partner and gain valuable experience. Label as next Chong Wei but more to Lin Dan and Zhao Jin Hua mould because he is left-handed. His best achievement so far was semi-final Malaysia International Challege 2009 and quarter-final German Open 2010.These two year will important for him to reach his peak and true potential. Send him to BWF Super Series and World Grand Prix tournament regularly. By 2012 he should position himself in world’s top 20, and then he can play second fiddle to Chong Wei. 2. CHAN KWONG BENG - current ranked 71th in the world and age 22. Former MSSM National Champion. Tipped to be included in Thomas Cup squad early this year due to his strong performance last year (finalist Malaysia International Challenge 2009 / semi finalist INDIA GRAND PRIX 2009) and before Thomas Cup this year. However poor performances in Asian Badminton Championship right before Thomas Cup cost him the place to Tan Chun Seang. Regular participants in BWF Super Series and Grand Prix. His main concern was attitude and lack of commitment as mention by Misbun Sidek. He’s already got potential but please improves your attitude and commitment and shows some strong performance in BWF tournament, and then the place is yours. 3. ISKANDAR ZULKARNAIN ZAINUDDIN - current ranked 149th in the world and age 19.Highly rated in junior level and former National Junior Circuit champion and finalist Asian Junior Championship. Future of Malaysian badminton if his potential can be fulfilled in senior level. Most improved player under BAM squad with improved ranked from 263 to 147 in less than one year. His latest achievement was finalist Smiling Fish International Series 2010. BAM should send him to BWF Super Series and World Grand Prix tournament instead of 3-star tournament. 4. ZULFADLI ZULKIFFLI - current ranked 200th in the world at age 17. The most sought after player outside BAM wing. Former champion of MSSM and National Junior Circuit. His trained under Kuala Lumpur Racquet Club (KLRC) since he is 14 years old. Turn down opportunity to join Sekolah Sukan Bukit Jalil and BAM backup shuttler. Had been flourishing under KLRC and participate more tournament than BAM junior shuttlers. Regular in BWF Super Series and World Grand Prix and performed consistently despite his young age. With his current ranked and young age, we should expect more from him until 2012. Already in national junior setup and BAM should let him performed outside the limelight. His father wisely chooses KLRC instead of BAM and his decision proved to be excellent move. Bring him as Thomas Cup member 2012 to gain valuable experience and he can be our hope for Thomas Cup 2014 and Olympic 2016. 5. OTHERS - Chong Wei Feng (51), Wong Beryno (64), Pei Wee Chung (105), Mohamad Arif Abdul Latif (128), Daren Liew (131), all of them ranked higher than all Iskandar and Zulfadli. They all had participated regularly in BWF Super Series and Grand Prix since 2008. However if we compare this batch with the same batch from China and Indonesia produced, we should be ashamed with them. They all start with the same level, but China and Indonesia player had progressed well within two years. China already can rely on Chen Jin(3) and Chen Long(10) while Indonesia had Simon Santoso (12). Even Kenicihi Tago(14) from Japan had surpassed them. If we look at Malaysian shuttlers, none of them able to break into top 50 players. They all had been given opportunity to participate in top BWF tournament in the last two years and they failed to progress. However they should be given second chance to prove themselves in the next two year. If the failed BAM should look onto the next crop of player like Zulfadli Zulkifli, Misbun Ramdan and Muhd Syawal Mohd Ismail. Double 1. HOON THIEN HOW / ONG SOON HOCK – current ranked 44th and both aged 25. Their best performance was in Vietnam Open last year where they were finalist. Had been consistent performer in top BWF tournament and already in Thomas Cup 2010 squad. HOON Thien How was former world junior champion doubles with Tan Boon Heong but his progress was slowed when their doubles was splitted. Seem to find the right pair with ONG Soon Hock and expect more to come from them. If they continue their progress, Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif / Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari can forget their place in Thomas Cup 2012 setup. 2. MAK HEE CHUN / TAN WEE KIONG - current ranked 40th and another world junior champion doubles from Malaysia. Their best performance was in Malaysia (semi-finalist Malaysia Open / Malaysia International Challenge). Their rise to badminton world had been impressive and if they continued their performance, we could welcome a new replacement for Koo Kien Keat / Tan Boon Heong COACHES 1. RASHID SIDEK – among the best player that Malaysia had ever produced but considered failed as a coach. His junior player who are trained by him under Project 2010 since 2008, none of them had achieve notable height. Arif Latif who among Malaysia best hopeful from his generation and highly rated in junior level had been dip so low even with junior player under Rashid guidance. BAM should eliminate Rashid and promoted Hendrawan as Head Coach. 2. HENDRAWAN - BAM should promote him as Head Coach. He had shown some promise while coaching Hafiz Hashim who much improved under him. Give him the role and perhaps we can see the true potential of our current Malaysian player. 3. ROSLIN HASHIM / WONG CHOONG HANN – appoint them as assistant coach to Hendrawan and as sparring partner to younger shuttler. They are former No.1 player and there is much to share with younger player of course. Roslin had shown some talent in coaching while in Nusa Mahsuri while Choong Hann still in the good form of professional player. It a waste if Malaysia not utilized them. 4. MISBUN SIDEK – keep him as single coach and give him promising player to guide. He already produced Chong Wei and Hafiz Hashim and we still want his wisdom and guidance. Keep him and perhaps world class player can emerge under his wings. 5. REXY MAINAKY / TAN KIM HER / JEREMY GAN / ROSMAN RAZAK – Rexy had proved his ability as a coach but others had little time to show their capability. Continue their service because Malaysian doubles on the right track to conquer the badminton world and their combination as coaches are what the player needs in order them to succeed. Written by warixztjp82 16/5/2010 7.05pm
Keep all the coaches -- nothing wrong with them. We need to hire a physical trainer who can fine tune these guys. I am sorry to say this - TBH andf KKK are not fit ! Yes not fit. They wear out easily ! When they do, they perform with errors. On the surface they look fit but they are NOT ! TBH smashes are powerful but he does not last like the chinese or the Indonesians. KKK is really not that fit as he makes big mistakes when tired. He smashes into the net when tired. Yes, fitness is the bane of Malaysian badminton. They may train everyday but it is still not strength they are building. Look at the arms of Zakry or Fairuz. There are no muscles but look at the Chinese ones. You need a good physical trainer -- we need to build the muscles for that overhead smash 100 times in a game. Not two smashes and then some cheap ugly drop shot. It is worse than my grandmother's.
iskandar zulkarnain-seen this guy played several tournaments, he seriously lack match fitness. wonder if he trains regularly? no doubt having the skills and potential but shld work on his fitness if he wants to be in the TC chan kwong beng-a small frame guy, attacking player. seen him played some entertaining badminton
Let us get some GNC high body building powder into these scrawny kids. No, nasi lemak is good and tasty but it is not good for body energy sustainence. For top performance, we need energy (look at the energy generated by CAI-FU and MARKIS-HENDRAWAN). I think KKK-TBH pale by comparison. Seen eating at dinner, the Malaysians were tucking into some simple chinese tucker. Sorry no offence, but is this energy producing. We need to put some protein into them. PASTA and a lot of meat ! Strength is needed in badminton. We need calories, we are not break dancing here - we are playing a man's game ! If viagra is allowed, they should dish out some !
Actually, it does not matter how old they are as long as they can take the physical training dished out to them. If they cannot, out they go - no excuses. Half fit players are no good to the system.
IMO, it's an attitude problem. I've never doubted their skills and physical conditions which both can honed to a higher level. However, attitude and psychological wise, they are both borne to each individual. This problem is a tough nut to crack because no one can drive the demon out of the mind other than oneself. I wonder who is qualified to do so. BTW., another Sidek could be joining BAM, is that wise? If that's the case, we might as well rename BAM to BAS (Badminton Association of the Sideks).
Just some small comments: Err...in order for you to play in the main draw in the GP Gold or SS tourneys, you have to be at least in the top 100. At the moment, both Iskandar and Zul are too far away to be contemplating SS tourneys Since when Zul become a regular player in SS and GP tourneys? As far as I know, he could not even reach main draw in MAS SS. All his other matchees were: R32 defeats in the MAS GP Gold, Australia & NZ Open (whose sponsor is KLRC). His best performance was reaching R16 in the MAS IC 2009.
