Iskandar in two minds about coaching offer from BAM
PETALING JAYA: It is a tough call for Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin as he weighs between continuing his coaching career in Ireland or answering the call to return home.
The former national men's singles shuttler has confirmed that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have reached out to him with a coaching offer. But it's still unclear whether the role is for the men's or women's singles squad.
BAM are currently short of options in the singles department following the surprise resignation of women's singles coach Jeffer Rosobin at the end of April.
Since taking up the role in Ireland four years ago, Iskandar has steadily made a name for himself in Europe. He has been instrumental in the rise of Nhat Nguyen, who is now ranked No. 33 in the world, and has helped elevate the profile of Irish badminton.
Under his guidance, Ireland qualified two players for the Paris Olympics, namely Nguyen and women's singles shuttler Rachael Darragh, marking a major milestone for the country.
Adding to the Malaysian presence in Ireland is Iskandar's former national teammate Yeoh Seng Zoe, who is currently serving as Ireland's high performance coach.
Given the progress made and his long-term plans with Ireland, Iskandar is understandably cautious about making any move.
'I've been given a lot of trust here in Ireland, and I need to deliver results,' said the 33-year-old.
'I've been contacted by BAM, but I need to weigh everything carefully. I'm still young in coaching and want to prove myself first.
'I was fortunate to be guided by coaches like Datuk Misbun Sidek and Hendrawan, and I incorporate what I've learned from them into my own methods.
'My immediate goal is to help Ireland win a medal at the European Championships. We're also running development programmes in schools, and I hope this will unearth more talent for the country.'
Iskandar first joined Ireland as a sparring partner for Nguyen during his preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He was later appointed as Nguyen's full-time coach and eventually took over the entire singles programme.
Nguyen came close to realising Iskandar's dream of winning a European medal this year, reaching the quarter-finals in Horsens, Denmark, before losing to France's Alex Lanier.
Nguyen's campaign at the Malaysian Masters ended yesterday in the second round following a 23-21, 21-17 defeat to India's K. Srikanth. In the opening round, he had stunned home favourite Leong Jun Hao.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
40 minutes ago
- The Star
Liu Ying gives thumbs up to RTG for providing pros their own training 'home'
Starting early: Mixed doubles ace Goh Liu Ying (first right, second row) posing with the kids after the Malaysia Kidslympic Run. - Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: Former national mixed doubles player, Goh Liu Ying described the initiative of the Road to Gold (RTG) Committee to help professional badminton players with more conducive training facilities as an appropriate important move. Liu Ying, who has previously played professionally, said the main challenges faced by players who are not in the national squad are the lack of basic facilities and complete support services. "I can confirm that as an independent player, the facilities used are not as good as those enjoyed by players in the national team. "Even before qualifying for the (Tokyo 2020) Olympic Games, we sought help from the National Sports Council and the National Sports Institute because we needed not only a private training venue, but also a complete support team,' she said. She told reporters after the launch of the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025 here, today. Liu Ying and her partner Chan Peng Soon previously created history by becoming the country's first mixed doubles to win a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Despite leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2018, they still managed to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games, which was their last appearance at the world's biggest sporting event. On Saturday, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the RTG Committee would help professional badminton players get more conducive training venues as most of them are currently training in public courts. At the same time, Liu Ying said that additional support services such as physiotherapy provided by RTG also help professional players maintain their performance despite having to endure a tight schedule to the point of having to play in three to four tournaments a month. Regarding the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025, the co-founder of the children's sports games is targeting the participation of 5,000 participants from all over the country who will gather and compete at the Merdeka Stadium, here, from Oct 10-12. She said that among the types of sports offered in the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025 are athletics, gymnastics, volleyball and basketball. - Bernama
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Goh Liu Ying Supports RTG Aid for Pro Badminton Players
FORMER national mixed doubles player, Goh Liu Ying described the initiative of the Road to Gold (RTG) Committee to help professional badminton players with more conducive training facilities as an appropriate important move. Liu Ying, who has previously played professionally, said the main challenges faced by players who are not in the national squad are the lack of basic facilities and complete support services. 'I can confirm that as an independent player, the facilities used are not as good as those enjoyed by players in the national team. 'Even before qualifying for the (Tokyo 2020) Olympic Games, we sought help from the National Sports Council and the National Sports Institute because we needed not only a private training venue, but also a complete support team,' she said. She told reporters after the launch of the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025 here, today. Liu Ying and her partner Chan Peng Soon previously created history by becoming the country's first mixed doubles to win a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Despite leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2018, they still managed to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games, which was their last appearance at the world's biggest sporting event. Yesterday, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the RTG Committee would help professional badminton players get more conducive training venues as most of them are currently training in public courts. At the same time, Liu Ying said that additional support services such as physiotherapy provided by RTG also help professional players maintain their performance despite having to endure a tight schedule to the point of having to play in three to four tournaments a month. Regarding the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025, the co-founder of the children's sports games is targeting the participation of 5,000 participants from all over the country who will gather and compete at the Merdeka Stadium, here, from Oct 10-12. She said that among the types of sports offered in the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025 are athletics, gymnastics, volleyball and basketball.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
RTG provides conducive training venue for professional players
FORMER national mixed doubles player, Goh Liu Ying described the initiative of the Road to Gold (RTG) Committee to help professional badminton players with more conducive training facilities as an appropriate important move. Liu Ying, who has previously played professionally, said the main challenges faced by players who are not in the national squad are the lack of basic facilities and complete support services. 'I can confirm that as an independent player, the facilities used are not as good as those enjoyed by players in the national team. 'Even before qualifying for the (Tokyo 2020) Olympic Games, we sought help from the National Sports Council and the National Sports Institute because we needed not only a private training venue, but also a complete support team,' she said. She told reporters after the launch of the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025 here, today. Liu Ying and her partner Chan Peng Soon previously created history by becoming the country's first mixed doubles to win a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Despite leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2018, they still managed to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games, which was their last appearance at the world's biggest sporting event. Yesterday, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the RTG Committee would help professional badminton players get more conducive training venues as most of them are currently training in public courts. At the same time, Liu Ying said that additional support services such as physiotherapy provided by RTG also help professional players maintain their performance despite having to endure a tight schedule to the point of having to play in three to four tournaments a month. Regarding the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025, the co-founder of the children's sports games is targeting the participation of 5,000 participants from all over the country who will gather and compete at the Merdeka Stadium, here, from Oct 10-12. She said that among the types of sports offered in the Kidslympic Malaysia 2025 are athletics, gymnastics, volleyball and basketball.
