Iskandar Confirms BAM Approach For Coaching Role
KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- Ireland badminton team's singles head coach Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin has confirmed that he has been approached by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to join their ranks.
However, the former Malaysian men's singles player could not confirm the position offered to him by the national governing body.
'Someone (from BAM) did contact me, but let's see how things go. I still have a contract (with Ireland) until 2028.
bootstrap slideshow
'I need to consider what my goals are. Nhat Nguyen (Ireland's men's singles shuttler) is still young. I also need to discuss with my family, as they are all in Ireland, and I have to see what's best,' he said when met at the Malaysia Masters 2025 at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, yesterday.
Iskandar, 33, said he is determined to prove himself as a coach, especially after raising Nguyen's level of play to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Iskandar, who has been coaching in Ireland since 2022, also hopes to produce players capable of winning medals at future European Badminton Championships.
If he serves out his contract, he wants to help Ireland break the European badminton dominance long held by Denmark, England and France.
'We've also started a junior programme, with players training in the morning and evening. I hope with this development programme, we can go further,' he said.
-- BERNAMA
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Soccer-Depay, Dumfries earn Netherlands 2-0 win in Finland
Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group G - Finland v Netherlands - Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland - June 7, 2025 Netherlands' Nathan Ake and Virgil van Dijk in action with Finland's Nikolai Alho MARKKU ULANDER/Lehtikuva via REUTERS HELSINKI (Reuters) - The Netherlands kicked off their World Cup qualification campaign with a comfortable victory as goals from Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries secured a 2-0 away win over Finland on Saturday. Depay profited from a defensive error to give the Dutch the lead inside six minutes, and Dumfries added a second with a neat finish at the back post midway through the first half. The Netherlands moved third in Group G with three points, behind leaders Poland, who have won both their games, and Finland who have four points from three matches. The group winners advance to next year's World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, while the second-placed side will enter a 16-team playoff competition to decide four additional places at the finals. (Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)


New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
No Senayan heroics for Wei Chong-Kai Wun this time
KUALA LUMPUR: Men's doubles Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun's heroics at the Istora Senayan were not enough this time. They fell 21-18, 12-21, 21-18 in the Indonesia Open semi-finals to homesters Sabar Karyaman-Moh Reza Isfahani, the world No. 8, on Saturday. The world No. 7 Malaysian pair lost narrowly in an hour. Wei Chong-Kai Wun had beaten Sabar-Reza at the same stage at the iconic venue last year. And in January, Wei Chong-Kai Wun hit a high to capture the Indonesia Masters at Istora Senayan. Despite the setback this time, Wei Chong-Kai Wun have really done well this season as they have also won the Malaysia Masters last month, upstaging their illustrious compatriots Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik. At the sidelines, Sabar-Reza's coach, Hendra Setiawan, got the better of his former mentor Herry IP, who is currently Malaysia's men's doubles chief. Under Herry, Hendra won the 2008 Olympic gold with Markis Kido and secured multiple world titles with Mohammad Ahsan. After the match, Herry hugged and congratulated Hendra as well as Sabar and Reza who had also trained under him. Meanwhile women's doubles world No. 4 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah ensured Malaysia a representative in the final as they will play China's world No. 1 Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning for the title on Sunday.

The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Wei Chong-Kai Wun go down fighting in Indonesian Open semis
File picture of doubles pair Man Wei Chong (right) and Kai Wun Tee in action at the Perodua Malaysia Masters 2025. - Photo: Bernama PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles shuttlers Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun's hopes of reaching their second consecutive Indonesian Open final were dashed after they were denied by homesters Sabar Gutama-Moh Reza. Wei Chong-Kai Wun had beaten world No. 8 Sabar-Moh in the last four last year but the latter avenged their defeat by coming out on top 18-21, 21-12, 21-18 at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta on Saturday (June 7). World No. 7 Wei Chong-Kai Wun did well to come back and win the second game after losing the first but could not maintain their form against the spirited duo in the decider and lost in the match lasting an hour. Sabar-Moh will take on either teammates Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto or South Korea's Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae for the title on Sunday (June 8).