Aye and nay
Seepage26&27.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia’s decision to name four Indonesians as head coaches have drawn mixed reactions. Former internationals Razif Sidek and Ong Ewe Hock prefer locals to play the leading roles while national shuttlers are looking forward to a new beginning under the revamped set-up. Reports by TAN MING WAI.
Paulus Firman has been a successful mixed doubles coach in Indonesia and he is hoping to emulate the feat in Malaysia.
In the latest revamp of the BAM coaching structure on Sunday, the 52-year-old has been tasked to helm the mixed doubles department. Despite working with the national men’s doubles squad for the last two years, the mixed doubles department is not something new for Paulus.
He represented Indonesia in the mixed doubles from 1991-1995, and also has vast experience in coaching mixed doubles pairs.
When he first started out as a coach with the Indonesian national team in 1997, Paulus was the assistant to Imelda Wiguna in the women and mixed doubles department.
Among the top Indonesian mixed doubles players at the time were Trikus Heryanto, Minarti Timur and Bambang Suprianto.
When Indonesia’s training programme for the two disciplines were separated in 1999, Paulus took charge of the women’s doubles squad.
Now, he is hoping to put all his playing and coaching knowledge to good use as he carries on the good work left by the previous mixed doubles head coach Chin Eei Hui.
Eei Hui, who is transferred to the women’s doubles department, was instrumental in grooming formidable mixed pairs like Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and even Chan Peng-Soon Goh Liu Ying too, before the Olympic silver medallists turned professional players last year.
“I’m relishing the fresh challenge in the mixed doubles,” said Paulus yesterday.
“Eei Hui has done a tremendous job and the mixed doubles department is currently in good shape.
“My goal now is to bring the established pairs like Soon HuatShevon to a higher level, while narrowing the gap of the back-up shuttlers like (Hoo) Pang Ron, (Cheah) Yee See, (Chen) Tang Jie and (Peck) Yen Wei by expediting their progress.
“The style of play, training method and other aspects will all be different from the men’s doubles, but there shouldn’t be any problem for me to adapt. Given my past experience as a mixed doubles player and coach, I certainly have what it takes to manage the squad.”
Paulus insists he was not disheartened for not being able to guide Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik until the Tokyo Olympics next year.
Aaron and Wooi Yik, whom Paulus guided to break into the top 10 in the world rankings, are touted as Malaysia’s best medal prospects in Japan.
“As a professional, I’m ready to serve any department where my services are needed. And rest assured, I’m going to give my best,” he said.
“The management are making the changes for the best interest of the national team and they have my full support.
“(New men’s doubles head coach) Flandi (Limpele) will be a great addition to the BAM coaching set–up. He’s going to do a great job with the men’s doubles players.”
Paulus is indeed game to coach in any department as he has even served as the men’s singles coach with the Indonesian national squad.
Between 2004-2008, he was the assistant to Mulyo Handoyo, and they were tasked with coaching then-top Indonesian singles shuttler Taufik Hidayat.