With about two weeks to go before he steps down from the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA), Lee Yi Shyan knows he is leaving before the path of change he has set the sport on comes to fruition.

He will step down as president at the association’s annual general meeting next month, after completing the maximum eight years the SBA’s constitution allows its office holders.

Reflecting on his tenure, Mr Lee, who will remain adviser to the SBA, told The Straits Times yesterday that one of the bolder changes he made has been the make-up of the national team.

The last time foreign-born shuttlers received Singapore citizenship under the Foreign Talent Scheme (FTS) was in 2014.

Since then, the SBA has adopted a more inward focus.

For a sport that has previously produced SEA Games, Commonwealth Games and tour champions through foreign-born players, this paradigm shift meant “trade-offs” – but one that the East Coast GRC MP felt was necessary in the sport’s pursuit of sustainable development.

Fu Mingtian, who won the 2011 SEA Games women’s singles, is Singapore’s last major Games champion. Yao Lei and Shinta Mulia Sari’s 2010 Singapore Open women’s doubles title remains the Republic’s only Superseries triumph.

“Yes, winning medals is important and if our goal is to win medals at all costs, then maybe we will consider doing something very different,” Mr Lee, who is also executive adviser for property developer OUE, said in his 33rd-floor Orchard office.

“But we want to take the more difficult route, the more resource-, labour-intensive route of creating capability within our system.”

Several of the next-generation shuttlers in SBA’s stable remain foreign-born. For instance, Olympics- bound Liang Xiaoyu is from China, while 2015 SEA Games bronze medallist Loh Kean Yew and his older brother, doubles player Kean Hean, were born in Malaysia.

The difference, said Mr Lee, is that they spent much of their growing-up years here being groomed by the SBA system, rather than as by-products of the FTS.

“It’s harder,” he added. “(But) this form of relying on our own players, own system is a more sustainable mode of developing the sport. It will force us to focus on youth development.

“We may not have that many ‘highs’… but neither do we say that our more senior youth players cannot perform internationally.”

He drew comparisons between Singapore and Denmark, and said that the Republic has much to learn from a nation that has a similar population size, yet capable of producing a Thomas Cup-winning side. He says his successor must possess belief that Singapore can punch above its weight too.

He said: “There is a long way to go, but that shouldn’t deter us from pursuing this dream. Therefore, people who come to the SBA must have this passion and idealism that one day, we can also do very well. We have to give ourselves a chance.”

The quantity and quality of the national team has taken a hit in recent years, with no fewer than 12 senior players, like 2008 Olympian Xing Aiying (injury), 2012 Olympian Yao Lei (studies) and Zhang Beiwen (declined to play for Singapore but now represents the United States) no longer donning the country’s colours.

It means the new SBA president has the task of helping the younger shuttlers step up to the plate stronger – and sooner.

Said Mr Lee: “(It has meant) quicker succession planning that we have had to activate in our system – faster than we have wanted it to be. But we live in a free world. If people feel that their calling is somewhere else, we won’t force them.

“We’ll pay attention to our younger players – how we want to groom them, and give them opportunities.”

Nominations will be finalised on Saturday, but ST understands that first-term MP (Fengshan) Cheryl Chan, who was co-opted into the SBA months ago, is a possibility. She was first seen representing the SBA at an event in March.

“We’ll see whether she finally takes up this invitation because as a new MP she has a lot on her plate,” he said, noting that the SBA is ready to run without any politicians at its helm. He himself had succeeded current Minister for Manpower Lim Swee Say.

Mr Lee added: “When I came in, I was a blank sheet of paper ready to do whatever made sense. I always believed in succession planning, in building to last, and in having a sustainable organisation.

“We always have constraints. On the whole, if we have occasional brilliance from time to time from our players, I’ll be quite happy and it’s been rewarding watching them.”

maychen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 26, 2016.
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Tampines Rovers will mark life after coach V. Sundramoorthy with a spot in the final eight of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, the first time since 2007.

Sundram, who is set to be announced as the new Singapore national coach tomorrow, showed just why he has been given the nation’s top coaching job by masterminding Tampines to a 2-1 extra-time win against India’s Mohan Bagan on Tuesday night.

The win was all the more impressive as the Stags were down to 10 men for about an hour against an opponent who had beaten them 3-1 in a AFC Champions League qualifier in January.

The winning goal came from Afiq Yunos, who blasted a left-footed shot into the top corner after Jermaine Pennant had drilled a free-kick low across the box deep into extra-time.

Speaking from India before the team’s flight back yesterday, Afiq said of Sundram: “The goal was the perfect farewell gift for him.

“He didn’t say much after the match, but we knew from his face that he was proud of us and happy with the result.”

That strike won the game after Jordan Webb’s 63rd-minute cross ended up lobbing the goalkeeper while Mohun Bagan scored an equaliser nine minutes later through a piledriver from midfielder Bikramjit Singh.

The Stags had to grind out the win despite having defender Shakir Hamzah expelled nine minutes into the second half after picking up two yellow cards in three minutes.

Aptly, the Tampines display in India on Tuesday is characteristic of teams drilled by Sundram – strong in set-pieces, tight at the back, though not always pleasing on the eye.

The LionsXII displayed similar traits in 2013 on their way to winning the Malaysian Super League title.

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) will be hoping that the 50-year-old can do his magic at the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, where the tactician has been given a semi-final target.

Sundram will be presented to the media on Friday afternoon as the national team’s caretaker coach by the FAS at Jalan Besar Stadium. He declined comment on his imminent appointment as Lions coach.

Tampines assistant coach Mohammad Akbar, aided by goalkeeper trainer Herman Zailani and captain Fahrudin Mustafic, will assume the reins.

Midfielder Hafiz Sujad, said Sundram’s detailed tactics and analysis of opponents will be missed. “He’s good in his tactical awareness and study of our opponents,” he said, “and he always shares it with us before the game.”

Afiq added: “We will still respect and support the coaches who take over. If anything is not right, we can give feedback and talk about it – the club has no problem with this.”

With his new role as player-coach, Mustafic is relishing the added responsibility, though he said that there will be no great change from Sundram’s coaching style.

He shared: “Each coach has his own style, Akbar has his own way and vision to play; me too. But generally it will be similar (to the overall Sundram style) because these boys have been together for half a year, we know their strengths and what they can do.

“We’ll try to continue what is good, and try to add something different to our game. It is a new beginning for us.”

Amid the financial troubles that have plagued the club recently, the veteran midfielder said that the key now is to keep the squad together, with the mid-season transfer window open till June 10.

Fahrudin said: “We had three players suspended and injured for the game (against Mohun Bagan), but three new players came in and were fantastic.

“This is important in the long run, you need your squad. We have a really good one, and I hope we keep it that way.”

clntan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 26, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.