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New Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Irish job suits Iskandar, but BAM offer could tempt a homecoming [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: Former national shuttler Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin has made an impressive transition into coaching in Ireland. And the 33-year-old now finds himself at the centre of speculation about a possible return to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Iskandar, who is back in town for the Malaysia Masters with the Ireland national team as their singles coach, masterminded Irish No. 1 Nhat Nguyen comeback victory over Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao in the first round on Wednesday. BAM is currently on the lookout for a new women's singles coach, and Iskandar's name has emerged among the possibilities. Speaking to the media, he confirmed receiving an informal inquiry from BAM but was non-committal about his next move. "Yes, a representative from BAM has reached out," said Iskandar, who himself was a runner-up to Lee Chong Wei during the 2016 Malaysia Masters in Penang. "I'm still under contract with Badminton Ireland until the end of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle. My family is also based there, and with young kids, I need to consider everything carefully and discuss it with my family." When asked if BAM had approached him specifically for the women's singles or junior squad roles, Iskandar replied with a laugh, "I'm not too sure which department it was for, honestly." Despite his passion for returning home, Iskandar said he is focused on building his coaching resume abroad. "As a young coach, I'm still in the learning phase," said the 2016 Thomas Cup bronze medallist. "I'm constantly drawing from what I learned under my former national coaches like Hendrawan and Misbun Sidek, and combining their philosophies with my own ideas. My goal is to prove myself through results." Since joining Badminton Ireland in 2021 – first as a sparring partner before being promoted to singles coach – Iskandar has been instrumental in helping Nhat and women's singles shuttler Rachel Darragh make inroads, including qualifying for the Paris Olympics last year. "I'm grateful for the trust given to me in Ireland, and I want to repay it with results," he said. "I've even brought in fellow Malaysians like Yeoh Seng Zoe to support me here." Iskandar is also taking a long-term approach with Irish badminton, having introduced a youth development framework and implemented a sports school-like model. His aim is to help Ireland break into the European elite traditionally dominated by Denmark, France, and Germany. "Our main goal is to win a medal at the European Championships," said Iskandar. "Nhat reached the quarter-finals this year, we were close. But overall, I'm happy with the progress. Our women's singles players used to struggle, but now we have one going to the Olympics. That's a big step forward." Still, Iskandar remains realistic about the time needed to build world-class talent. "To produce top players, it takes time," he said.
New Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Irish job suits Iskandar, but BAM offer could tempt a homecoming
KUALA LUMPUR: Former national shuttler Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin has made an impressive transition into coaching in Ireland. And the 33-year-old now finds himself at the centre of speculation about a possible return to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Iskandar, who is back in town for the Malaysia Masters with the Ireland national team as their singles coach, masterminded Irish No. 1 Nhat Nguyen comeback victory over Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao in the first round on Wednesday. BAM is currently on the lookout for a new women's singles coach, and Iskandar's name has emerged among the possibilities. Speaking to the media, he confirmed receiving an informal inquiry from BAM but was non-committal about his next move. "Yes, a representative from BAM has reached out," said Iskandar, who himself was a runner-up to Lee Chong Wei during the 2016 Malaysia Masters in Penang. "I'm still under contract with Badminton Ireland until the end of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle. My family is also based there, and with young kids, I need to consider everything carefully and discuss it with my family." When asked if BAM had approached him specifically for the women's singles or junior squad roles, Iskandar replied with a laugh, "I'm not too sure which department it was for, honestly." Despite his passion for returning home, Iskandar said he is focused on building his coaching resume abroad. "As a young coach, I'm still in the learning phase," said the 2016 Thomas Cup bronze medallist. "I'm constantly drawing from what I learned under my former national coaches like Hendrawan and Misbun Sidek, and combining their philosophies with my own ideas. My goal is to prove myself through results." Since joining Badminton Ireland in 2021 – first as a sparring partner before being promoted to singles coach – Iskandar has been instrumental in helping Nhat and women's singles shuttler Rachel Darragh make inroads, including qualifying for the Paris Olympics last year. "I'm grateful for the trust given to me in Ireland, and I want to repay it with results," he said. "I've even brought in fellow Malaysians like Yeoh Seng Zoe to support me here." Iskandar is also taking a long-term approach with Irish badminton, having introduced a youth development framework and implemented a sports school-like model. His aim is to help Ireland break into the European elite traditionally dominated by Denmark, France, and Germany. "Our main goal is to win a medal at the European Championships," said Iskandar. "Nhat reached the quarter-finals this year, we were close. But overall, I'm happy with the progress. Our women's singles players used to struggle, but now we have one going to the Olympics. That's a big step forward." Still, Iskandar remains realistic about the time needed to build world-class talent. "To produce top players, it takes time," he said.
