KUALA LUMPUR: Kenneth Jonassen's coaching acumen and his strong connections with Asian players make him a promising addition as the new national singles head coach.
Former BA of Malaysia (BAM) high-performance director Datuk James Selvaraj is confident the Dane will transform the country's singles badminton scene.
James highlighted Jonassen's extensive experience, having developed numerous top-tier men's and women's singles players during his 13-year coaching stints in England and Denmark.
"Jonassen is an all-rounder and has built a good rapport with Asian players. He was among the first Europeans to integrate the attacking flair typical of Asian shuttlers into his game during his playing career," said James.
"While he was known for his solid defence, Jonassen began incorporating net play and aggressive smashes to challenge top Asian players.
"His understanding of the Asian style, coupled with European discipline, will allow him to bring out the best in our players."
James stressed the importance of mutual understanding between Jonassen and the Malaysian players.
"The players must adapt to his coaching philosophy, while Jonassen needs to foster close relationships with them to achieve results.
"He is a good tactician with psychological insight, which will be invaluable for the singles department.
"New ideas from coaches like Jonassen are crucial to achieving different and better results, but he'll also need full support to implement positive changes."
James believes Jonassen's expertise will particularly benefit rising stars like Leong Jun Hao (26), Justin Hoh (20) and Ng Tze Yong (24).
Jonassen has a proven track record, having played a pivotal role in shaping two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, Anders Antonsen and Rasmus Gemke into world-class players.
"Axelsen was 19, while Antonsen and Gemke were just 16 when Jonassen began coaching the Danish singles 11 years ago. The results speak for themselves," James added.
James also urged Jonassen to scout for promising talents in the national junior squad to bolster the elite programme.
Jonassen will meet the press tomorrow at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara.