KUALA LUMPUR: The BA of Malaysia are unhappy with their players' disastrous outing at the World Junior Championships in Santander, Spain.
And the national body will likely overhaul the national junior coaching set-up, led by Misbun Sidek.
BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh believes there is a need for a major restructuring to get things back on track.
The other junior coaches in charge of the Under-18 squad are Hazwan Jamaluddin, Poh Chai Boon (singles), Pang Cheh Chang, Vountus Indra Mawan and Lufti Zaim (doubles).
"We're obviously disappointed by the outcome at the World Junior Championships. Being one of the badminton-playing nations, our players should have done a lot better," said Kenny yesterday.
"I'm afraid the coaches had failed to do their homework in gauging and analysing the rivals.
"It's clear that more needs to be done to catch up with the rest of the world.
"I think it is vital that we need a major overhaul of our coaching set-up to address the decline."
For the first time in the history of the world juniors, no Malaysian made it to the quarter-finals at the Santander edition.
On Thursday, the five remaining players — Justin Hoh, Eogene Ewe (boys' singles), Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Choi Jian Sheng (doubles) and Bryan-Lee Xin Jie (mixed doubles) crashed out in the last 16 of their respective events.
It is the second consecutive time Malaysia have returned empty-handed from the world juniors after the 2019 Kazan edition.
The rot is not good as these players are being groomed for the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Former top players, including Lee Chong Wei, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, and even the present stars, including Lee Zii Jia and Soh Wooi Yik, were medallists in the world juniors.
Hence, where did it go wrong for Misbun and his coaches?
The lack of action due to the Covid-19 pandemic is not a valid excuse considering that other nations were also affected by it.
To be fair to BAM, they had provided the best for the shuttlers, including competition stints in Europe, before the world juniors.
Also, the players are housed under one roof at the Petronas Academy Badminton Malaysia and given access to state-of-the-art facilities and support services.
BAM may argue that the current squad also had younger players like 17-year-old Eogene. However, it should not be an excuse, as four of the boys' singles quarter-finalists are 17 and below.
French top seed Alex Lanier is 17, while China's Pan Yin Long and Hu Zhean and South Korea's Cho Hyeon Woo are just 16.
HOW THEY FARED
Boys' singles: Justin Hoh (fourth round), Eogene Ewe (fourth round), Ariffin Nazri Zakaria (third round);
Doubles: Choi Jian Sheng-Bryan Jeremy Goonting (fourth round), Fazriq Razif-Wong Vin Sean (second round);
Girls' singles: Siti Nurshuhaini Azman (third round), Ong Xin Yee (third round), Siti Zulaikha Azmi (second round);
Doubles: Lee Xin Jie-Vannee Gobi (third round), Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting (second round);
Mixed doubles: Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Lee Xin Jie (fourth round), Choi Jian Sheng-Lai Ting Cen (third round), Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu (second round);
Mixed team: Ninth.