EMERGING champions will not be enough as the BA of Malaysia (BAM) is adamant that the national men’s pairs will be reshuffled after this week’s Copenhagen World Championships.
Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong, Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah and Tan Boon Heong-Koo Kien Keat will play for the last time together in the world meet before coach Pang Cheh Chang reshuffles ahead of next month’s Incheon Asian Games.
Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallists V Shem and Wee Kiong will become permanent partners while Boon Heong will be paired off with Thien How. Khim Wah will forge a partnership with Ow Yao Han.
“Even if I achieve my goal of guiding one pair to the world title, it will not change my mind of splitting them. I want to set a new direction for the players ahead of the 2016 Olympics,” said Cheh Chang.
“The current pairs are good but results have not been so encouraging.
“It does not mean that if they win the world title, they will be untouchable for the next tournament. What is important is consistency.”
Cheh Chang said the changes are necessary as he wants the players to have a new beginning and also help them towards winning the Olympic gold medal.
“In the modern game, players must reinvent themselves consistently and also try out with different partners to achieve greater heights.
“I believe the new combinations will make an impact in next year’s priority tournaments, including the world meet and the Sudirman Cup,” said the coach.
He admitted that some players were insecure when he announced the changes recently.
“Some are worried about their future and some are unhappy. I have explained to each of them and I can only hope that they understand the situation. It is the best for the team.
“I reassured them that all will be given equal emphasis in training and in competitions. My goal is to have two solid pairs for the Olympics.”
In Copenhagen, Thien How-Wee Kiong, who received a first round bye, have a good draw in the early rounds. They are drawn to meet either Japan’s fourth seeds Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa or 12th-ranked Ko Sung Hyun-Shin Baek Choel in the quarter-finals.
The withdrawal of Indonesia’s World No 1 Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan also provides Thien How-Wee Kiong a clearer path to the final.
As for Khim Wah-V Shem, the World No 18 are in the same half with compatriots Kien Keat-Boon Heong, Japan’s Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata and Korea’s second seeds Lee Yong Dae-Yoo Yeon Seong.