KUALA LUMPUR: National singles coach Misbun Sidek is ready to pinch players from the lower level — either schools or state junior programmes — if he sees potential in them to excel.
And he hopes that he will get the blessings to do so from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
Currently, the BAM only promote players to the national team after they have gone through the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) and national back-up programmes.
Misbun said that he could not afford to wait any more, not when expectations are getting heavier on badminton to deliver at the Olympics on a regular basis.
Currently, he sees national No. 1 and Beijing Olympics silver medallist Lee Chong Wei as the only singles player with the potential to strike a medal again in the 2012 London Olympics.
