Latest news with #KennethJonassen
Barnama
a day ago
- Sport
- Barnama
Give Jonassen Time To Produce Champions
RAWANG, July 31 (Bernama) -- Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called on all parties to give national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen the space and time to get the shuttlers firing again following their lacklustre performance in the 2025 Badminton Asia Junior Championships (BAJC) recently. She said the ministry believes that it has channelled all the necessary support to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to ensure the 51-year-old coach can help improve the singles department. 'The new coach has just arrived and has yet to warm his seat to assess their performance properly. So, I feel that he deserves to be given time to evaluate their performance, and produce champions… this is something that cannot be achieved in a month or two.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Lee Chong Wei: Give Jonassen time to rebuild Malaysia's men's singles squad
GEORGE TOWN, July 30 — National men's singles coach and Director of Singles Coaching at the Badminton Association of Malaysia (ABM), Kenneth Jonassen, should be given sufficient time to implement his plans and bring about change to the national singles squad, according to Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei The Malaysian badminton legend said Jonassen, who has only been in the role for six months, needs time to adapt and rebuild the strength of a men's singles line-up that is currently in a critical state. 'I've met and spoken with him (Jonassen) about how he can contribute to men's singles in Malaysia. He has great ideas and I agree with his proposals and plans. We just can't expect instant results because this isn't a one-month or one-year process. 'At the very least, one full cycle — four years — is needed before we can gauge the effectiveness of his plans. Give him room to adapt to the local culture and to rebuild the team. It's like a newborn child – even learning to walk takes a year, let alone producing a world champion,' he said. He was speaking to reporters after receiving the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN) award, which carries the title Datuk Seri, from the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Penang, Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, in conjunction with the 84th birthday celebration of the Penang Governor, here today. Lee, 43, was responding to a newspaper report quoting former national coach Wong Tat Meng, who warned that Malaysia could face a singles crisis if immediate action isn't taken to address the weaknesses in the country's youth player development system. Wong, 58, gave this stern warning after witnessing the underwhelming performance of Malaysia's junior squad at the 2025 Badminton Asia Junior Championships (BAJC) in Solo, Indonesia, recently. Commenting further, Lee said the current state of the men's singles is worrying, with a significant gap between Malaysian players and the world's top contenders. Lee said only Lee Zii Jia currently shows potential, having recently returned from injury, while Ng Tze Yong is undergoing treatment in Doha. 'We only have Lee Zii Jia, who's just recovered from injury, and Ng Tze Yong, who is still undergoing treatment in Doha. Their performances are still inconsistent, and the same goes for Leong Jun Hao, whose form has been up and down,' he said. — Bernama
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Jonassen disappointed in several juniors' performances in Solo
KUALA LUMPUR: The failure of Malaysia's singles shuttlers to reach the quarter-finals at the Asia Junior Championships in Solo, Indonesia, came as no surprise to national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen. Jonassen said that while the outcome may appear disappointing, it aligned with his expectations going into the recently concluded tournament held at the GOR Indoor Manahan Solo. 'Am I disappointed? Maybe for some individual performances that I thought could have been better. But my expectations were met, so to speak. 'I know where we are. I understand and I fully accept that we have an ambition a lot more than we produced this time,' he told reporters yesterday. Malaysia ended their campaign at the Asian juniors without a single medal, with both the singles and doubles departments falling short. This year's results mark a significant drop from their 2024 performance, when the national junior squad returned with one silver and three bronze medals. The Dane, who has been working closely with the junior squad over the past several months, said he and his team had identified three key areas for immediate focus moving forward: physicality, tactical discipline and mental resilience. Although several juniors are currently training with the senior national squad, Jonassen warned against expecting quick results. 'Just because we made some changes, with them now training with the senior team, it's not that easy. Development doesn't happen overnight. It's a long process. 'Everybody wants changes all the time. But actually, what you need is to continue down the path you've already taken, maybe with a few tweaks, and then you can deliver results eventually,' he said. — Bernama
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
BAJC: My expectations were met
Singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen will not make a hasty decision on the appointment of a new women's singles coach after Jeffer Rosobin's resignation. KUALA LUMPUR: The failure of Malaysia's singles shuttlers to reach the quarter-finals at the Asia Junior Championships in Solo, Indonesia, came as no surprise to national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen. Jonassen said that while the outcome may appear disappointing, it aligned with his expectations going into the recently concluded tournament held at the GOR Indoor Manahan Solo. "Am I disappointed? Maybe for some individual performances that I thought could have been better. But my expectations were met, so to speak. "I know where we are. I understand and I fully accept that we have an ambition a lot more than we produced this time," he told reporters during a training session here today. Malaysia ended their campaign at the Asian juniors without a single medal, with both the singles and doubles departments falling short. This year's results mark a significant drop from their 2024 performance, when the national junior squad returned with one silver and three bronze medals. The Dane, who has been working closely with the junior squad over the past several months, said he and his team had identified three key areas for immediate focus moving forward: physicality, tactical discipline and mental resilience. Although several juniors are currently training with the senior national squad, Jonassen warned against expecting quick results. "Just because we made some changes, with them now training with the senior team, it's not that easy. Development doesn't happen overnight. It's a long process. "Everybody wants changes all the time. But actually, what you need is to continue down the path you've already taken, maybe with a few tweaks, and then you can deliver results eventually," he said. — Bernama
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Jonassen: They are our best junior shuttlers — like it or not
KUALA LUMPUR: "They are the best junior shuttlers in the country." National coaching director Kenneth Jonassen has finally broken his silence following Malaysia's poor showing at the Asian Junior Championships in Solo, Indonesia, last week. Despite the disappointment, Jonassen remains optimistic and ambitious, insisting the current crop of players can rise, with proper training and patience. In Solo, all five Malaysian boys' singles shuttlers — Roslie Razeeq Daniel, Louis Lee, Ayu Fu Sheng, Lim Boon Le and Kong Wei Xiang — crashed out in the last 16. It was the same story in the girls' singles, with Ng Ler Qi, Lim Zhi Shin, Oo Shan Zi, Lee Mun and Low Zi Yu also falling at the same stage. Malaysia fared slightly better in the doubles, with three pairs reaching the quarter-finals: girls' pair Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu and mixed doubles Loh Zi Heng-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan and Datu Anif Isaac Asrah-Dania Sofea. Jonassen, however, said Malaysia must stop chasing instant results. "We're always looking for medals. But what do you do when these are the best players we've got?" he said at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) on Tuesday. "We don't have the luxury of picking 10 more players of the same calibre. No country does. I may be disappointed with a few individual performances, but I didn't expect much more from our singles players in Solo." Jonassen admitted he dreams big but insists his goals are realistic. "My ambitions are high, but I know where we are and what needs fixing. It takes time. I have the patience, especially when I see the effort our players and coaches are putting in." His remarks came a day after former national coach Wong Tat Meng warned that Malaysian badminton faces a bleak future unless urgent changes are made. Jonassen believes the path forward hinges on three key elements: physical strength, tactical discipline, and a competitive mindset. "These are the missing pieces," he said. "Some already have the physical strength, but others must build it. Tactical discipline — sticking to a game plan — is crucial. "But the most important trait is mental toughness. Being able to handle expectations, pressure, and still perform at your best when you're out there — that's what separates the good from the great."
