Misbun is back in BAM as coach

Malaysian badminton legend Datuk Misbun Sidek is expected to make a return to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) as the men's singles head coach.

BAM president Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria made the announcement after chairing a BAM Coaching and Training (C&T) Committee meeting at the Malaysia Badminton Academy in Bukit Kiara today.

"Misbun understands as far as what is required to be a top Malaysian men's singles player. He has that experience with Datuk Lee Chong Wei. I also want a coach who has the respect of all players, especially Chong Wei and Misbun has agreed in principle about the appointment.

"I had a chat with him just before the C&T and we have that agreement that he will come in as a head coach for men's singles," he told reporters, adding that Misbun will start his duty after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Misbun was responsible for grooming Malaysia's top shuttler Chong Wei who has an illustrious career in the sport, being the first ever men''s singles shuttler to have won all Super Series titles and winning prestigious titles including two silver medals in the Olympics and three All-England titles.

Misbun unexpectedly quit as the national singles coach at the end of 2010 and turned down the BAM's offer to be the Chief Director for its national team three years later in 2013 due to "personal reasons".

Meanwhile, Mohamad Norza said that under the BAM performance strategy for 2017 to 2020, Misbun would be in charge of all men''s singles players including Chong Wei and would be assisted by Hendrawan, Indra Widjaja and Sairul Amar Ayob.

National men's singles coach Tey Seu Bock has been promoted to head the women's singles department and would be assisted by Rony Agustinus.

The men's doubles department would be headed by Cheah Soon Kit and assisted by Jeremy Gan and Rosman Razak while in women's doubles department, Wong Pei Tty would lead the team and assisted by Lim Pek Siah and Hoon Thien How.

Chin Ee Hui would head the the mixed doubles and assisted by Pang Cheh Chang and Teo Kok Siang.

Mohamad Norza noted that according to the BAM strategy performance proposed by Technical Director Morten Frost, the target would be to emerge as champion in the 2018 Thomas Cup.

"In terms of Frost's blueprint, he's putting the Thomas Cup title. It means that for us to deliver a Thomas Cup we need to have a balanced men's singles and men''s doubles players. I believe having Misbun and Soon Kit complementing each other, would be a good combination.

-- BERNAMA