YOUNG SHUTTLERS have a bright future, said badminton coach and former All-England champion Pullela Gopichand, who is in Indore to watch the 4th all-India national ranking junior badminton tournament being held at Nehru Stadium.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Gopichand said, ‘‘Indian badminton team is not weak as we are in the top 50 in the world and it is a great thing.”
He, however, lamented that most of the players drop out by the time they reach the senior level. Gopichand said that players should have patience, etermination and concentration to play at the higher levels. The players have to practice a lot, as they have to compete with world-class players, he said.
Our country is far behind other countries as far as the facilities for players are concerned, he said further. “But we have to carry on with what we have,” he asserted.
He is in favour of foreign coach. He said that they have modern techniques, which can help our players a lot. Next month a coach from China will take charge of the players for the junior world cup.
He said that his own badminton academy was doing well and he was concentrating on junior players. “I have good rapport with Prakash Padukone and whenever I have any problem I contact him; we are also getting good support from the government and it is encouraging,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He said that his own badminton academy was doing well and he was concentrating on junior players. “I have good rapport with Prakash Padukone and whenever I have any problem I contact him; we are also getting good support from the government and it is encouraging,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Among the youngsters, he mentioned S Kashyap, Chandana, Newal, J Morgunde and few others who can make it to the big league. He signed off on a confident note, saying that Indian badminton has a good future and the country will be at par with the leading countries of the world.