Chong Wei and BAM going through difficult times

pic by Bernama (L-R) Chong Wei, Dr. Saw Khay Yong and Dr. Nicholas Geary

Good news is that Lee Chong Wei is back on his feet and may be back on the courts in a week or so.

However, he has been advised to take Baby Steps by National Sports Institute CEO Datuk Dr. Ramlan Abdul Aziz.

".....but the next step will be crucial and difficult as well. He’ll need to step up his recovery without stressing his ankle.......It’s too early to say but perhaps he could return to the courts next week. But his training will be limited. He needs to increase the loading levels without over-stressing or affecting his injured parts.”

As such, Chong Wei’s training on the court will be limited to serves, shots and basic positioning and movement instead of doing lunges.

The hopes of the nation fall on Chong Wei. He may or may not reach optimum fitness in time for the London Olympics but why isn't there any able replacement, one that could carry the burden.

Former Olympic silver medalist Cheah Soon Kit raised some questions pertaining this and has put the blame on his former employers, BA of Malaysia (BAM) for the slump in badminton.

“No doubt it is difficult to produce another player like him but look at China. They have been producing world-beaters for some time now and should Lin Dan be injured they can rely on Chen Long and Chen Jin. The replacements may not be of the same standard but if it is close, then that would be sufficient,” said Soon Kit.

Click on the following links to read more on what the former national doubles coach had to say;

BAM urged to help clubs develop talent

BAM abai program pembangunan

Soon Kit kecam alasan BAM 

Should we forget that elusive Olympic gold medal?

“The race is to now on to step up from being merely a participant to a competitor.”

Those were the words of National Sports Institute CEO Datuk Dr. Ramlan Abdul Aziz when met at the KL Sports Medicine Centre yesterday.

Lee Chong Wei is being attended by Dr Saw Khay Yong, the man who had done tonnes of research on stem cell treatment over the years. Even his mentor Dr. Nicholas Geary is down for stem cell treatment and is eager for his doctors in UK to come to KLSMC to study the methods.

If you are wondering why the little advertisement on KLSMC and stem cells above, don't. It is not. LCW is undergoing stem cells treatment to speed-en up his healing process to get him ready for the Olympics.

Also instead of the stem cells being injected once a week, like in usual cases, LCW will have one every five days on three occasions.

The rest will be depend on how his body reacts to it and his mental readiness to step back into the courts.

The doctors have admitted, getting LCW back to his optimum for the Olympics will be the hardest part of his recovery.

Pick up a copy of The Malay Mail to read more.... or click on this links Race against time and Chong Wei's quest hits a bump.

There's one stem cells and Dr. Nicholas Geary as well. 

We are still far behind

Fresh from my trip to Manchester, I've realised why our football or even sports are no where close to becoming of world standard.

The season is simple, we have failed from the very bottom - the grassroots and talent identifying.

I visited the Manchester City academy, where their youth products are developed - hopefully to become world class players.

Whether they have produced great players is secondary. We can leave that to another day.

But the structure in place is there for all to benefit.

Think football, Think studies. Both can't go along some would say. Well in Malaysia I have no doubts but in Manchester, those two work well together.

Anyway read yesterday's Mailsport comparing the system in place at City's academy and those sports schools in Malaysia, yes the ones some parents don't want to send their kids to.

Read Striking a balance between sports and studies. 

Here's more commentaries from Manchester :-

A Red dot in a sea of Blue

Manchester ready to celebrate

And here's all the news pieces.

De Jong: Play me anywhere

QPR game will define City's season, says keeper

Mancini: We never gave up

Mancini goes on attack mode

'Super' Mario danger

Mancini never saw it coming

One happy K-ompany

Not in their lifetime

Manchester bound - A red in the blue parts of City.

there to be explored.

Would a Manchester United fan want to watch Manchester City lift the trophy at the Etihad Stadium?

Many I know wouldn't even watch it on TV.

Yet, I'll be at the Etihad Stadium come Sunday evening to watch the probable occasion of City lifting the trophy.

For I will be the Devil in Disguise in Manchester or rather the 'Stranger in the City'

I wrote a 600 word long commentary piece for The Malay Mail so please pick it up....

*sorry couldn't publish extracts of it here. 

Can we dig into our reserves?

Just for laughs

Depth is rarely given due consideration. 

But that is one aspect Malaysia is lacking - be it badminton, football, hockey, or even our politics scene.

What is being done to counter this? - Nothing. Nothing that seem to be working at least.

In football - Take Harimau Muda A for example. Ong Kim Swee could only manage to name four on the bench on April 27 as some of their players also form the core of the national football team and K. Rajagopal's boys had to play and unnecessary and insignificant friendly against lowly Sri Lanka.

In Hockey - National team coach Tai Beng Hai can't drop players even if there are disciplinary problem as there isn't able replacement.

In badminton - under performing Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong need to be split but is there another pairing? Only reason they still don the national colours is because the rest are not up to mark.

So how deep can we go? as appeared in From the SIDELINES in today's Mailsport.

It's about saving some pride.

Usually it's the younger ones following the foot steps of senior players, who are expected to set an example.

Leave aside habits and other wrong doings, this is purely on achievement.

When the National Under-21 hockey team take the field against Iran at the Junior Asia Cup (JAC) for their opening match tomorrow, it will be about salvaging some pride for Malaysia.

The senior team has failed to qualify for Olympics and have been in the papers for all the wrong reasons. While they are now, rather insignificantly, preparing for the Sultan of Azlan Shah Cup, ALL attention and support must be given to K. Dharmaraj's boys.

The team, largely comprising the same Project 2013 boys who lifted the Sultan of Johor Cup last year, are "made of steel"

No one, not even their coach, expected to win in Johor last November. Even more after their opening matches against Australia and New Zealand didn't go their way. Yet, they showed class and grit to win the inaugural championship.

Since then they have been hyped, rather deserving, to qualify for the Junior World Cup in India next year.

News that four teams from Asia will qualify for the world event can only be good news as now all Malaysia has to do is qualify for the knock-out stages at the JAC.

But Dharmaraj insist it is not just about that. He wants his charges to go on to win the tournament, etching themselves in the history books. Malaysia's best performance was a second place finish to Pakistan in 1991.

Read the Junior Asia Cup preview in today's Mailsport.