Sri Lanka Badminton in hunt for national coach
Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) has decided to appoint a local national coach as an interim measure, following the departure of Indonesian Tony Wahyudi after his contract ended. A statement issued by SLB clarified why it is hunting for a local to fill the position of national coach explaining that it is ‘until it can source and appoint an international coach of repute’.
“All coaches who have a Level I, II, III and IV certification are invited to apply on or before June 25, after which SLB hopes to announce a selected candidate/s by July 1 in readiness for resumption of National pool training,” the statement said.
It was earlier reported in a local newspaper quoting an unnamed SLB official, that both the Ministry of Sports, who provided funds to pay the Indonesian coach’s monthly remuneration, and even SLB, were not pleased with Wahyudi’s productivity as coach.
In addition the report stated that the outgoing coach had allegedly attacked one of the top officials of SLB. However SLB denied such an incident involving Wahyudi, while stating that it has a long term plan to strengthen the national squad, aiming at future international competitions. The SLB statement went on to say that it also requires from the candidate an intimate knowledge of the latest badminton standards worldwide and the qualities of a mentor who can oversee player development over the long term.
“These are in addition to the pre-requisite certification. While SLB intends to recruit a coach of international stature, it foresees that a chosen local candidate/s will work closely with a foreign coach to help develop a squad that can aspire to top level international rankings over the next few years,” the statement added.