Player perosnalities in doubles

[Yousor]

In this recent video of the Star Australian Open 2015 https://youtu.be/6RYrl4EphKE?t=22m5s Gill and Steen (I think) talk about winning capabilities of YYS and LYD for the big events. They both are in doubt. Gill then talks about the different personalities and that a korean coach said that partnering LYD with SBC would not work personality wise. Steen then tells her, that the danish team wouldn't have a MD team under that premise, because all the players are so different in their perosnalities. What does that mean, in terms of Badminton, not fitting personalities? Is it that you might get frustrated by your partners playing style? By his approach/mindset to a game. They don't get along off court? What should fit together? You can't get your head around what the next shot of your partner will be? Also I wonder, why they partnered LYD with KSJ and then KSJ with SBC, but LYD and SBC would not work. That seems weird. For you personally, what would be a player you could under no circumstances play with?

 

[XxJayL33xX]

Yousor, IMO Gill and Steen are talking about 2 different issues in their commentary.

The first issue is the players personalities on court and how their personalities must be compatible and not clash together. For example, if you have one player on court who is very pumped up, aggressive, shouting, outwardly determined and another player who appears more passive and reserved this combination of "on-court" personalities may not be compatible. The more inward player could be cowed some what by their more extroverted partner, feel under too much pressure to perform and lose confidence. However, on the otherhand, these two "on-court" personality types could work well together, the opposites in style serving to calm the more aggressive player down when they get too pumped up; And adversely revving the more passive player up to get the most out of them.

For "on-court" IMO personalities it's all about trying them out to see which are compatible and which do not mix well. However, as a basic rule, teaming like personalities with like logically would be the best route.

The second issue is their "off-court" real life personalities. They are debating whether or not being on similar wavelengths, in real life would hinder performance on the court. IMO it is certainly easier to play with somebody you get along well with off the court and have a mutual bond with, than somebody who annoys you. At first, Gill appears to suggest LYD isn't playing with another Korean because she has been told by a Korean coach, those 2 do not get along well off the court thus putting them together on court would not work well. However, Steen counters this by describing the Danish men's doubles players and saying they are all very different off the court but obviously play well when on the court.

For "off-court" personalities IMO it's ideal to pair players together who are friends in real life, they are bound to have a stronger connection on the court, but sometimes you need to put differences aside and play with people you are not friends with if it is for the benefit of your team (country for the Danes).