There is an old proverb about leading a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink. In the context of Malaysian sports, the powers that be can hire the best coaches, but if the athletes are unwilling to give their all, it would be a wasted effort.
Over the years, some of the best coaches have arrived on our shores, and with the exception of a handful, most have returned home labelled as ‘failures’, only to achieve success in other countries.
One of the reasons for these failures was the players and coaches not being on the same page.
As such, it was refreshing to hear Kenneth Jonassen speak about having an open relationship with the players and empowering them to take ownership of their careers.
The Danish coach is the soon-to-be Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) singles head coach – he takes over on Jan 4, 2025.
He met the Malaysian media for the first time on Nov 25, a day after BAM announced his appointment, and Jonassen outlined how he would go about his task of shaping Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh, Ng Tze Yong, Eogene Ewe, K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Zulaikha Azmi and Oo Shan Zi into world-beaters.
However, he reiterated that it was a team effort and not simply a matter of waving a magic wand.
“The key to progress lies in their ambition and desire. Many of these players are very young and have bright futures ahead of them, but it will take time,” said Jonassen.
One person happy to hear Jonassen’s words was former world No. 1 Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who has been saying the same thing for years.
“What Jonassen said is true. A coach can only do so much, as 85-90 per cent of the effort is up to the player,” said Lee.
“The coach can give instructions, but if the player doesn’t follow them, what’s the point?
“For example, if Jonassen tells them to do 10 sets of a certain exercise and the players only do eight, whose fault is it? A coach can’t be with you 24 hours a day; you need to take care of yourself, and that is where self-discipline comes in.”
Lee also said players must listen to their bodies and plan their recovery time properly by working with sports science experts.
“I had many sponsorship commitments – shooting advertisements, meeting fans, and attending events,” he said.
“But I planned everything around my training schedule and ensured I had enough rest.
“I also pushed myself in training as hard as I could, which was why I could stay on top for many years, consistently reaching finals and winning tournaments.
“I hope the players under Jonassen listen to him – they are responsible for their success. He is there to add the gloss.”
