KIM HER JOINS SAMURAI CAMP
Coach now handles Japan national men’s doubles
AFTER years of focusing on backup and junior shuttlers, Tan Kim Her is ready to roll with the big boys.
On Sunday, the 47-year-old former international confirmed his appointment as Japan’s men’s doubles coach, replacing Indonesian Reony Mainaky, who has returned to his country to join the national team as women’s singles coach.
Kim Her was with the BA of India (BAI) for nearly four years before leaving abruptly in March with one more year remaining on his contract citing personal reasons.
“Yes, it was a tough decision to leave
BAI, I’ve been there for more than three years and I had a contract to coach until the 2020 Olympics.
“However, I got this job, and it’s a new challenge so I’d like to try something different.
“In my previous coaching stints in South Korea, England and even in Malaysia, I was building the junior group, they were not elite senior players.
“But in Japan, I am in charge of the seniors. I do not have to build them from scratch but to think of ways to make them better ahead of the Olympics next year,” said Kim Her, who is in town for the Malaysia Open that starts tomorrow at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
Kim Her, who played a key role in the development years of players like South Korea’s Lee Yong Dae, Shin Baek Cheol, England’s Chris and Gabrielle Adcock, and local stars, Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, believes it’s only a matter of time before he adapts fully to the new culture under Japan’s chief coach Park Joo Bong.
“There's always going to be pressure, there is no easy way. It’s only with pressure you learn.
“Joo Bong is a leader, and having a leader is important. We (coaches) are like soldiers waiting for instructions.
“The Korean is very straightforward, but he is also very experienced. It’s easy to work with someone so well respected,” added Kim Her, who becomes the third Malaysian to move to the Land of the Rising Sun after Jeremy Gan (2017) and Lee Wan Wah (2019).
The Malaysian, who officially starts work today, has been tasked with four pairs — World No 3 Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda, World No 5 Hiroyuki EndoYuta Watanabe, World No 12 Takuto InoueYuki Kaneko and World No 24 Takuro HokiYugo Kobayashi.
“Elite players are totally different, they don’t just follow like junior players. With seniors, there must be compromise and discussions.
“This is life and I’m sure the Japanese are very open. I want to perform and the players know that. We coaches are here to help them,” he added.