KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Lee Wan Wah could be promoted as Japan's new men's doubles badminton head coach in the coming months.
Wan Wah, who has been with Nippon BA (NBA) since 2019, is said to be highly regarded by the association for producing quality back-up pairs to the senior mixed and men's doubles squads.
Another Malaysian, Tan Kim Her, is currently Japan's senior men's doubles coach, but he is linked to a return to India to train their men's and women's pairs.
Kim Her served as India's men's doubles coach from 2015 to 2019.
BA of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra told the Indian media on Thursday that the association is in discussion with Kim Her and Indonesian Irwansyah for the doubles and singles coaching posts respectively.
Outgoing Japan head coach Park Joo Bong, who served as Malaysia's men's doubles chief coach from 2002-2003, was responsible for bringing Kim Her and Wan Wah to Japan.
Wan Wah was also recruited by NBA in 2019 to coach Japan's national junior boys' team. He was promoted as Japan's mixed doubles Team B coach in 2020 and moved up again to guide the men's doubles Team B last year.
Wan Wah's contract runs until March next year and NBA generally offers new deals in April.
"Currently, I am attached to the men's doubles Team B and any changes in my position will only be known later," said Wan Wah when contacted by Timesport.
"NBA will announce the new coaching line-up in the coming months and that's when we will know our future roles."
Meanwhile, Kim Her declined to elaborate on the offer from BAI, saying that there have been negotiations but nothing has been finalised.
Jeremy Gan is the other Malaysian attached with NBA as its national mixed doubles senior coach.