Our badminton team has been in the doldrums for quite some time now. To date, we haven’t managed to replace Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat -Tan Boon Heong. Although, we were very close to winning back the Thomas Cup last year, fans can’t expect the same thing to happen again next year, unless of course a miracle happen in the next 12 months or so.
Thus, in our new technical director, Morten Frost Hansen, we will pin our hope for the future. The man credited for discovering Lee Chong Wei is set for another stint in Malaysia. The Dane, one of the greatest badminton players in his generation will officially start working as the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) technical director in March.
Frost will have his hands full when he arrives in the next couple of months. Apart from the ardent task of finding a new Chong Wei for Malaysia, the 56-year-old will coordinate the programmes from the development to the elite level and empower the coaches at the national centre.
His first big decision is, however, on the coaches’ contract. BAM President Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff has hinted that the scope of offering new contracts to coaches would most likely be in the hands of Frost and not the BAM. According to Tengku Mahaleel, Morten Frost Hansen would be given a free hand in deciding the coaches based on comprehensive progress reports submitted by a number of individuals who will prepare the report. I’m sure Frost will select only the best, though several coaches must be feeling cold feet from now until March 2015.
Appointing Morten Frost Hansen is a huge decision by BAM and National Sports Council (NSC). Since he is under NSC’s payroll, his big fat salary will be closely monitored by the public and anything less than success will definitely spark unrest among the fans and public at large.
As for his credentials, this guy definitely fits the bill as someone you could rely on to bring back Malaysia in the right lane. Morten Frost Hansen is a hugely experienced coach with impressive CV and have good insights of Malaysian badminton, having worked here in the past. But he will require some time to get his plans to work. He will also need all the support and enthusiasm from BAM and the fans as we look forward to Olympic and Thomas Cup 2016. It is a difficult job for anyone and not just Frost considering the standard of our players these days. There are only a handful of prospects at the moment but it is still a good base for him to work with.
All the best to Morten Frost. We pray that you will succeed in bringing back the Thomas Cup to Malaysia. Malaysia Boleh!
By the way, Park Joo Bong believed that Morten Frost will trigger a revival in the Malaysian badminton scene. What say you?
* Gambar ehsan: www.utusan.com.my
0 Komentar untuk "Can Morten Frost Hansen Revive Our Badminton Team?"