WITHOUT a medal to show at the World Championships, there are a number of uncertainties in the men’s doubles department.
The coaches may be changed. Some players may be dropped or split up. New faces may come in.
It all depends on who become the new coaching and training chairman and the national coaching director and what direction they intend to take under the leadership of new Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff.
Even national chief coach Tan Kim Her’s position is shaky as none of his three pairs – Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem and Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong – made any breakthroughs.
If Kim Her, however, is given another chance to continue, he will have three big challenges in his hands.
Firstly, it is dealing with Kien Keat-Boon Heong who went down tamely to South Koreans Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang. The defeat underlined the fact that they had stagnated in their game after playing together for seven years.
If Kien Keat-Boon Heong are dropped, Kim Her has to build another pair to take on the world.
And if they are split up, he has to find suitable younger partners for them.
That means, he may have to break up some of the younger pairs like junior pairs – Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming and Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Teo Ee Yi.
If Kien Keat-Boon Heong are retained, he has to find ways to motivate them because they are currently undergoing a confidence crisis following several flops in major tournaments.
Secondly, it is dealing with Wee Kiong-Thien How.
Wee Kiong played exceptionally well in his first World Championships with Thien How to push four-time world champions Ca Yun-Fu Haifeng of China before losing.
However, they probably could have won it if Thien How was fitter and trimmer. The fact is that Thien How is overweight and he needs to shed a few more kilos to be able to sustain his form.
Thirdly, it is dealing with Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold champions Khim Wah-V Shem, who, unfortunately, lost to their own team-mates Thien How-Wee Kiong in the second round.
Khim Wah- V Shem are a pair with immense talent but they always struggle with inconsistency.
Said Kim Her: “I am not sure of my position with BAM after this. I will submit my report on these players and will leave it to the BAM to make a decision. I believe that Wee Kiong-Thien How and Khim Wah-V Shem played well and they have a future. All we need now is proper training and planning for all these pairs.”
