KUALA LUMPUR — Former international James Chua clarified that his resignation as Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) men’s singles coach was not due to conflict.
The 45-year-old Sarawakian, who joined BAM in 2022, told Scoop that he is excited about career advancement as he prepares to take up the head coach role for the Czech Republic national team on October 1.
This development follows BAM acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam’s recent announcement that no final decision has been made on the contracts of most national coaches, which expire at the end of this year.
“No, no, no, I’m not leaving because I’m unhappy or have issues with BAM, whether with the management, coaches, or players,” said James.
“I saw the job opening on Badminton Europe’s site but was hesitant to apply until my Dutch friend, who has worked there for four years, encouraged me to give it a try.”
James, the 2002 Malaysia Open men’s singles champion, explained that the move represents a step up in his career.
“This will be my second stint in Europe, but it’s a much bigger challenge. At BAM, I was coaching the backup singles players, but now I’ll be in charge of the entire national team.
“Badminton isn’t as big in Czech, but I see potential, as they already have players competing at the Olympics,” added James, who will depart for Pilsen on Sunday.
In 2009, James was attached to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) training centre in Germany, and he also coached with the Sarawak BA before joining BAM.
With his departure, the BAM men’s singles department is now managed by Indonesian coach Hendrawan and Datuk Tey Seu Bock, while K. Yogendran oversees the women’s singles.
Although nothing has been finalised, BAM had advertised for a men’s singles coach in May, anticipating possible changes after the Paris Olympics.
Last week, Scoop also reported that former BAM coaching director Wong Choong Hann could be appointed as head coach for the Hong Kong national team, replacing long-serving Tim He Yi-ming, who recently stepped down. — September 26, 2024