TheStar KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian number one Lee Chong Wei sees the split of the singles players into two groups as a good move. But there was a tinge of sadness in him over not coming under the direct charge of former national singles chief coach Misbun Sidek. Under the new training set-up announce by chief coach Yap Kim Hock yesterday, Chong Wei will come under the charge of Chinese coach Li Mao together with Wong Choong Hann, Lee Tsuen Seng, Yeoh Kay Bin and K. Yogendran. Misbun wil handle Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Kuan Beng Hong. “There are two groups now and certainly there will be competition to be better than the other,†said the 23-year-old Chong Wei after his first training session under Li Mao at Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here yesterday. “But this is a good move. It will keep the players all on their toes. Misbun has the two players who are about my age. “All of us will be determined to represent Malaysia in major tournaments. We will push each other to achieve better results.†Chong Wei added that he felt some sadness that Misbun would no longer be in directly in charge of him. “I trained under (Indonesian) Indra Gunawan for two years (2000-2002). When he left, I felt so sad and even cried at the airport,†said the Penangite. “Then Misbun came into the picture. I have improved so much in the last two years training under Misbun. He knows me well – my game and my temperament. “There is a little sadness that I am not in his group. But the decision to have me in Li Mao's group is seen as good for me. I need some time to adjust to his ways. “Unlike in Indra's case, Misbun is still here. And he has told me that I can go to him anytime if I have problems. Anyway, both Misbun and Li Mao will work hand-in-hand and all of us will get to train under both of them.†On the first day of training under Li Mao, Chong Wei said: “He is getting to know our styles. Choong Hann and I were asked to try out different strokes. Hopefully, I will be able to lift my game to a higher level under Li Mao.†Choong Hann said that he would not face any problem adjusting to Li Mao's way of coaching. “It's too early to make a judgment on him (as a coach). But I have trained under other Chinese coaches, including Han Jian and Chen Changjie, during my development stage and I do not see any problem (training under Li Mao),†he said. “For now, he is evaluating the individual skills of all the players and taking notes on our level of performances.†Under the guidance of Li Mao, Choong Hann hopes that he will be able to make the cut for the World Championships in Los Angeles in August. Chong Wei, who has been placed under new Chinese coach Li Mao (right), discussing tactics during a training session at the Juara Stadium on Monday.
Who made the decision to split the players into the groups they are in? The players, the coaches, or the management?
It's likely to be the management, after consultations with the coaches. You have to hand it to him - LCW is a professional like WCH, he doesn't sulk like some players do and try his best under whoever he is put under. To borrow from the frequently used word of Rafa Benitez, "Such are players with the right mentality and this creates lots of possibilities".
