Koo Kien Kiet/Tan Boon Heong/Rexy Combination

If you look at it from another perspective...
BAM has a pool of players, and KK&TBH is the best talent in BAM. Rexy is paid big bucks to coach them. The two monkeys still fail to perform. You can't fire your best talent simply because talent is in limited supply. You can however fire the coach because there are a lot of good coaches around. Having said that, changing coaches won't guarantee success. I personally think KK&TBH will only get worst if nothing is done.

 

Courtesy of The Star :

Time for a change, Koo-Tan want to revive their careers under Pang
By RAJES PAUL

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s top doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong have finally spoken their minds – they want to part ways with badminton coach Rexy Mainaky after a tumultuous five-year rollercoaster journey together.
The world No. 5 pair now want to revive their careers under coach Pang Cheh Chang, who is currently handling the women’s doubles department.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong had a heart-to-heart talk with Rexy yesterday to inform him of their decision at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara.
The duo had come under severe fire following their meek quarter-final loss to South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong in the recent World Championships in Wembley. It was their fifth defeat by the Koreans over two years.
Top national doubles shuttlers Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong have decided to part ways with coach Rexy Mainaky after a tumultuous fi ve-year journey. The world No. 5 pair want to try their luck under coach Pang Cheh Chang as they seek to bounce back from the recent World Badminton Championships debacle in London.
Just a year earlier, the duo had showed such aggression to reach the final of the world meet before going down to Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China in Paris.
Kien Keat and Boon Heong, however, were quick to point out that they were not blaming Rexy for their recent failures and that they only wanted to find a new direction in their bid to be genuine contenders for medals at next year’s London Olympics.
Kien Keat even admitted that their failure at the world meet was “our own doing”.
“Boon Heong and I are not blaming Rexy. It’s obvious that Boon Heong and I are having problems and it resulted in our poor results at the world meet. We hope this decision to part ways with Rexy will not be misconstrued. We are not blaming him,” said Kien Keat.
“The outcome at the world meet showed that we cannot reproduce the same form that saw us achieve great results in the past. Rexy has done his best for us and we enjoyed good times together ... but we need something new now. We need a change.
“Perhaps another coach can help us. We have reached a plateau in our game. Boon Heong and I have run out of ideas on how to improve our game.
“A new coach and a fresh training environment could bring back the excitement in our game. I am not saying that Rexy’s training is boring ... it’s just us. Boon Heong and I are ready to try something different.
“Boon Heong and I had a chat recently and I was keen with his suggestion to train under his former coach Pang.”
Cheh Chang had coached Boon Heong during his junior days at the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS). In fact, it was under Cheh Chang’s guidance that Boon Heong and his former partner Hoon Thien How emerged as the world junior champion in 2005.
“I believe Pang will be able to help us. I remember my junior days with him and, hopefully, Koo and I will be able to do something different under him as senior players now,” said Boon Heong.
“It is the same as when you work in a company. If you have been a manager for some time and are not going anywhere, one option is to seek a fresh start elsewhere. There is nothing wrong with the present company but it is more about one’s own will to make a difference.
“Koo and I are not undermining Rexy by switching coaches. We realise that we are not going anywhere and we have to do something if we want to be winners again.
“It was not easy for us to make this decision but we are happy that Rexy took it well when we spoke to him today.
“I will always be thankful to him. We have won many titles but I will remember him for changing my lifestyle. I used to be lazy but he motivated me to work harder.
“We hope that our request to train under Pang will help us keep alive our dream of doing well in the Olympic Games. We want to win and we have to get our act right with just 11 months to go.”
Kien Keat-Boon Heong played in their first international tournament under Rexy at the Japan Open in September 2006 and reached the final. They nailed the Asian Games gold medal for the first time in three decades for the country at Doha in 2006 – marking their rise as the country’s top pair.
Despite the ups and downs under Rexy, Kien Keat-Boon Heong remained as the country’s best bet to win honours and, if given the right backing, they should return to London as one of the main contenders for the gold medal at the Olympic Games.

 

Courtesy of The Star :

Dejected Rexy accepts duo’s decision to train under another coach

KUALA LUMPUR: The glum expression on national doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky’s face said it all after Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong told him of their intention to train under a different coach yesterday.
Although dejected and downcast, Rexy did try to put on a brave front and even took their decision well.
In fact, he even said that he would bring up the duo’s suggestion to train under Pang Cheh Chang as one of his proposals to the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) coaching and training committee meeting on Thursday.
“Koo and Tan approached me after training today and told me that they wished to train under Pang. I was quite taken aback but I am happy that, at least, they informed me first. They spoke their minds and told me why they wanted to part ways,” said Rexy.
“I accepted their explanations. It is not a big surprise though. After all, these players have worked together with Pang and Chang Kim Wai when both of these coaches were assisting me.”
Asked if he felt betrayed, Rexy said: “We are all grown ups and this is part and parcel of the job. We can choose not to make it a big issue.
“They believe that their decision is for their own good. I am okay as long as it brings a good outcome for the country. We will all be working under the same banner anyway.
“I will forward their decision at the coaching and training committee meeting.”
Without Kien Keat-Boon Heong, Rexy will have only one pair – Vountus Indra Mawan-Mohd Lutfi Zaim Abdul Khalid – to train on a full-time basis while sharing duties with back-up coach Tan Kim Her in training Ong Soon Hock-Mak Hee Chun.
The number of players training under Rexy has also dwindled following Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari’s decision to quit and turn professionals.
For now, at least, Rexy says he has no plans to quit the national team.

 

Finally TBH/KKK voiced out they want to part their way with Rexy.

Not neccesarily a bad thing for Rexy. He can focus on bring up young pairs.

 

[h=2]Rexy: BAM must decide quickly[/h] By K.M. Boopathy

2011/09/03

KOO Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong's request to train under Pang Cheh Chang has received the greenlight from national doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky.
Kien Keat, who finally turned up for training at Juara Stadium yesterday, and Boon Heong had a heart-to-heart talk with Rexy who accepted their request in good faith and will convey the message to the BA of Malaysia (BAM) management.

Rexy said if the move can bring the best out of Kien Keat-Boon Heong, he will not stand in their way.

In fact, he felt it is better for them to start training with Cheh Chang right way rather than waiting until the coaching and training committee (CTC) meeting on Thursday.

Kien Keat had missed training since Friday.

The CTC is likely to accept the arrangement but Rexy said almost two weeks would be wasted if the committee waits till Thursday to decide.

"I spoke to both players and they have requested to train under Cheh Chang. If that is going to help them improve, I have no problems. However, I have told them not to miss training as they will lose out," said Rexy.

"Cheh Chang has trained Boon Heong since he was a junior and both feel they can become better and regain their confidence under him. What is important now is that the management should grant permission temporarily for them to train with Cheh Chang until the CTC approves it officially.

"This is because any further delay will only result in both players not being fully focused in training.

"Cheh Chang and I worked together last year and there were some results. Chang Chang can fully concentrate on Kien Keat-Boon Heong while I can train the other players and manage the overall elite doubles programme."

Kien Keat said he would not miss training again but declined to elaborate on his discussion with Rexy.
[HR][/HR]

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/lkn2d1212/Article/art_print

 

The young pairs are under TKH. Perhaps take the WD, since currently Pang is coaching the WD

 

The short Chinese Malaysian who were with KKK/TBH during 2010 WC. Training I dunno but Ah Koo & Ah Tan's best results have been when Pang was sitting in the coach's chair during tournaments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEkS6oeaQz4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8as2TLvFch4&feature=related

 

I don't think Rexy is a bad coach. KKK/TBH became world # 1 under him when they were still so young! I think what KKK/TBH need right now is a change of regime in order to regain the top spot and start winning again. This could work psychologically for the short term as it might boost their mentality and in the long term, a combination of a winning spirit and good coaching will be necessary for them to be as dominating as CY/FHF.

A top coach that he is, I don't think Rexy will stay with BAM any longer if he's "out of the limelight" with the juniors. Am sure he leaving BAM will be a big loss to Malaysia.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOdzVEn_jxI&feature=related

 

Wow, look at KKK/TBH's desire to win in that video. Awesome.

 

Yah, don't see that in them anymore... unfortunately.

In that video, Pang was a one man cheer leader! He was shouting several times at Ah Koo in cantonese "don't play around!"

 

Courtesy of The Star :

Behind-the-scenes man Pang ready for high-profile job

By RAJES PAUL

KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s doubles coach Pang Cheh Chang has been quietly working behind the scenes at the national training centre for eight years.
However, the 37-year-old is set to be in the forefront of all the action as he takes on the highly challenging role of coaching the country’s top doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.
Although there will be greater expectations and pressure, Cheh Chang says he is ready – with the blessing of national chief coach Rexy Mainaky and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), of course – to train Kien Keat and Boon Heong.
The duo decided to part ways with Rexy on Friday and requested to train under Cheh Chang in a bid to revive their hopes of challenging for a medal at next year’s London Olympics.
While Rexy has given the switch his blessings, BAM secretary Ng Chin Chai said they would listen to all parties at their coaching and training committee meeting on Thursday before finalising any changes.
Cheh Chang, still surprised but honoured by Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s request, said he would gladly take up the challenge.
“I am ready to help if the management and Rexy are agreeable to the players’ request. I will continue with what Rexy has started with Koo and Tan and I will do my best to help them end their chase for honours at the London Olympic Games,” said Cheh Chang.
“I have no personal interests in accepting the players’ request. My only intention is to help them and perform my duty to bring honour to the country.
“It will be better if all coaches work as a team to help Kien Keat-Boon Heong regain their form.”
Cheh Chang is familiar with the way Kien Keat and Boon Heong play – especially the latter.
It was, after all, Cheh Chang who spotted and roped in Boon Heong into the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) programme after an eight-month talent scouting mission in 2003.
“I was looking for a partner for Hoon Thien How and I found Boon Heong. He was quite lazy as a junior player but we managed to transform his game. And, in just 16 months, Boon Heong went on to win the world junior title with Thien How in 2004,” said Cheh Chang.
“I had also assisted Yap Kim Hock, when he was the chief coach at the school, and I was around when Kien Keat and Ong Soon Hock triumphed at the Asian junior meet. So, I am familiar with the players and understand their characters.”
Cheh Chang was promoted to the national squad after Boon Heong-Thien How’s breakthrough world junior win.
He came under Rexy’s charge in 2006 and was given the responsibility of coaching the men’s back-up and women’s doubles players over the years.
He even assisted Rexy when Kien Keat-Boon Heong won the 2006 Doha Asian Games gold medal and the 2007 All-England title.
Last year, he was tasked with coaching the women’s doubles pairs and he did reasonably well to raise the standard of veterans Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui, Woon Khe Wei-Vivian Hoo and Lim Yin Loo-Ng Paou Leng.
“I’ve learnt a lot from Rexy. He is experienced and has different techniques and ideas and I’ve combined them with my own style of coaching,” said Cheh Chang, who holds Level Two coaching certificates and who played in both the men’s and mixed doubles events for 10 years from 1991.
“I did not do too well as a player. Those days we had a limited number of tournaments and the BAM were usually short of cash to send us out.
“Hopefully, as a coach, I will be able to see good results from my charges.
“I am looking forward to coaching Koo and Tan and working together with the National Sports Institute (NSI).
“For now, I will wait for an official decision from the management. I want to know what is going to happen to the women’s doubles shuttlers.
“Hopefully, much thought will be put into these matters before the changes are made,” added Cheh Chang, who will leave for Taiwan today to guide his women’s doubles shuttlers for the last time when the Grand Prix event starts on Wednesday.

 

Wish them all the best after separated from RExy..............

Also, wish Rexy could prove it again......with another pair....!!

 

Courtesy of The Star :

Teenager shows veterans how to behave like a real pro

IN THE SPORT-LIGHT by R.MANOGARAN

THE local sports fraternity reared its good and ugly heads last week.
The good thing is of course young bowler Jacqueline Jenelee Sijore’s outstanding achievement in winning the gold medal at the Women’s World Championships in Hong Kong on Sunday.
The teenager showed what a real pro she is at such a young age when she first took out top seed Shayna Ng of Singapore 246-214 in the semi-finals.
Then, up against red-hot favourite Son Yun-hee of South Korea in the final, she found it hard to get going in the first three frames.
But a pep talk by national chief coach Holloway Cheah proved to be the turning point. Jacqueline went on to reel home eight consecutive strikes for a well-deserved 266-217 win over the Korean to become the country’s second women’s singles champion – after Esther Cheah’s feat in 2005.
Esther was only 17 when she won in Aalborg, Denmark.
Jacqueline is 19.
The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) must be doing something right as they have now produced two teenage world singles champions in the last four years!
The MTBC have, in fact, been producing men and women bowlers of calibre for decades.
And it was no surprise that they have unearthed another gem in Jacqueline.
While Jacqueline and Co are having a ball at the alley, things are taking a different turn at the badminton courts.
It was quite shocking really to hear of men’s doubles shuttlers Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong telling coach Rexy Mainaky on Friday that they no longer wanted to be trained by him.
And to add insult to injury, they said they preferred to train under Pang Cheh Chang.
It was, undoubtedly a big blow to Rexy. But, being the magnanimous man that he is, Rexy took it all in his stride and agreed to the switch (pending the approval of the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s training and coaching committee tomorrow, which should be a formality).
No offence to Cheh Chang, but Rexy’s a proven coach with an equally proven track record.
Under Rexy, Kien Keat-Boon Heong did collect quite a haul of titles.
The prime ones being the Doha Asian Games gold medal in 2006, the All-England title in 2007, the Super Series Masters Finals in 2008 and the Commonwealth Games gold in 2010.
That’s quite an achievement by any standard, really.
But the duo’s relationship with Rexy, spanning five tumultuous years, has always been like a rollercoaster ride - one that was filled with ups and downs.
And it all came undone when they failed to nail the doubles title at the World Championships in London recently.
So, were Kien Keat and Boon Heong wrong to ask for a change of coach?
Well, it’s good that they are bent on stopping the rot – including taking the difficult decision of changing coach mid-stream.
But their decision would have made more sense had they plumped for a coach of a better or higher quality.
Does Cheh Chang, who now coaches the women’s doubles players, fall into that category?
Well, other than being the one who groomed Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How to the world junior doubles title in 2005, Cheh Chang has not enjoyed much significance success after that, really.
But, let’s not be hasty and judge Cheh Chang and Kien Keat-Boon Heong now.
It’s best to reserve judgment until after the London Olympics next year.
That’s the big one that Kien Keat and Boon Heong are aiming for.
If they can bag a medal at the London Games, then their decision to switch coach will be hailed and they will be justified.

Fail, and the whole nation will probably condemn them.

Until then, all the best boys.