The Star Online > Sports
Friday February 19, 2010
Tan told to mould lowest ranked pairs into world beaters
By RAJES PAUL
KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-recruited coach Tan Kim Her has been assigned the three lowest ranked men’s pairs in the national team and tasked with moulding them into world-beaters.
And he is ready to work his magic on back-up shuttlers Goh Wei Shem-Teo Kok Siang, Vountus Indra Mawan-Mohd Lutfi Zaim Abdul Khalid and Pang Zheng Lin-Chooi Kah Ming.
After all, he has done it before.
In South Korea, he took charge of then world junior champion Lee Yong-dae and he turned him into a world class player.
In England, he took greenhorn Chris Adcock under his wings and now the Englishman is able to give the top players a run for their money.
“I am not a magician who can transform players just like that. It takes time. The challenges in South Korea and England were different because of their cultures.
“It will be more challenging here but I am ready to give it a go,” said Kim Her.
Yesterday, he was given the duty to groom the three back-up pairs after a short meeting with national doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky.
Zheng Lin-Kah Ming are the newly-promoted players from the Buki Jalil Sports School (BJSS).
The 18-year-olds are members of the team who won the Asian junior mixed team title while Kah Ming also won the world junior title with Ow Yao Han in Kedah last year.
Kok Siang is also a world junior champion, having won the title with former partner Mak Hee Chun in 2008.
Vountus, Lutfi and Wei Shem have been in the back-up team for about two years but with no outstanding results.
Kok Siang-Wei Shem are ranked 138th in the world after playing in only three international tournaments, followed by Zheng Lin-Kah Ming (215th) and Vountus-Lutfi (265th).
“I met Rexy today and he told me to take care of these three back-up pairs.
“I do not know much about them but I am determined to start afresh with them,” said Kim Her, who will begin work on Tuesday.
“Rexy will propose this (the allocation of the players) at the next coaching and training committee meeting.
“It will be a challenge for me to groom these players but one that I am looking forward to. I will do some homework and set targets for them to achieve.
“But first, I want to meet these players and build a good relationship with them.”
Kim Her said that he would demand a lot from the players.
“I plan to introduce three training sessions a day, just like what I did in South Korea and England. The most important aspect is their discipline and commitment in training,” he said.
“I will keep Rexy informed as far as my planning and training programmes for the players are concerned,” added Kim Her, who said he would come out with a more strategic planning for his players after getting to know them better and assessing their games in the next one month.
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