Kejayaan badminton negara pada 2016 mengundang perhatian daripada seteru utama seperti China dan Indonesia.
Ia satu senario yang hanya akan memaksa mereka untuk memperkasakan skuad masing-masing bagi mencabar Malaysia musim ini.
Tiada individu yang lebih berbangga dengan kejayaan skuad negara sepanjang tahun lalu selain Bekas Pengurus Besar, Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM), Kenny Goh.
Kem badminton negara membawa pulang tiga pingat perak di pentas Olimpik Rio sementara Datuk Lee Chong Wei dan beregu lelaku, Goh V Shem dan Tan Wee Kiong menamatkan musim sebagai pemain nombor satu dunia.
Kenny, yang berkhidmat hampir sedekad bersama BAM sebelum berhijrah ke Badminton Asia pada 2016, arif akan kisah jatuh bangun skuad negara.
"Kebanyakan negara, selepas Sukan Olimpik, mereka akan melalui proses mengukuhkan lagi skuad masing-masing.
"Untuk pemain beregu, mereka akan membuat eksperimen dalam mencari pasangan yang baru. Ini mungkin antara faktor utama kejayaan Malaysia.
"Secara jujur, saya berbangga dengan kejayaan Malaysia tetapi mereka perlu berhati-hati," jelasnya.
Kenny turut melahirkan simpati kepada skuad perseorangan lelaki yang sedang melalui saat sukar meningkatkan prestasi ketika ini di samping mencari pengganti kepada Chong Wei yang semakin meningkat usia.
"Pemain perseorangan di Malaysia cukup berpotensi. Kita sangat bertuah kerana memiliki Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
"Pemain pelapis sepatutnya mengambil kesempatan ini untuk berlatih dengan Chong Wei bagi mendapat tahap latihan yang tinggi," tambahnya.
Stadium Astro
Sat Jan 28 2017
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