National coach Yeoh Kay Bin urges immediate action to rebuild Malaysia’s men’s singles badminton squad to close the gap with powerhouse nations.
KUALA LUMPUR: Newly appointed national coach Yeoh Kay Bin has stressed that efforts to rebuild the country’s men’s singles badminton squad must begin immediately.
He warned that delaying development would only widen the performance gap with players from powerhouse nations. This gap would have long-term effects on talent continuity at the senior level.
“It is certainly challenging, but we have to start now,” he said when met at the Academy Badminton Malaysia. “If we keep delaying, we will continue to fall behind.”
Kay Bin emphasised that results from this rebuilding process will not be instant. He described it as a foundational process crucial for a smooth transition to the senior level later.
His approach requires a long-term perspective and comprehensive development covering technical, physical and mental skills. The former coach of Lee Zii Jia said his immediate focus is on assessing the current junior players.
“Right now, my focus is to assess the players, understand their character, and see how they think about badminton,” he explained. “Some are already strong, while others still need a lot of work.”
Kay Bin is one of three new coaches hired by the Badminton Association of Malaysia in a recent restructure. He began his duties guiding 18 players aged 15 to 18 alongside two other coaches.
Having started yesterday, he said his initial priority is assessment before any long-term planning is implemented for the national junior squad. – Bernama
