Down and out: Lee Zii Jia is injured during the World Tour Finals match against China’s Li Shifeng in Hangzhou on Dec 13. — AP
PETALING JAYA: Can Yeoh Kay Bin be the key to helping independent shuttler Lee Zii Jia get past his mental blockade?
World No. 6 Zii Jia announced that former international Kay Bin would be his new coach after the departure of Wong Tat Meng.
Former great Datuk James Selvaraj believes Kay Bin has a tough task ahead but is optimistic that positive results can be achieved.
“I wish Zii Jia and Kay Bin the best in working together. But the question is whether Kay Bin can take Zii Jia to another level,” he said.
“Zii Jia needs to be moving up the ladder, and somebody has to work on him, not just physically but also mentally.’’
James sees Zii Jia as a well-rounded player physically but his mental strength sometimes falters after his many first-round exits this year.
“He (Zii Jia) has all the right things. He has the size, power, strength, and speed. But can his new coach do what Zii Jia really needs? Which is to train him to be stronger mentally.
“I do believe if that is worked on, Zii Jia’s game will be on a different level altogether,” said James.
Kay Bin’s record as a player is not what shines about him but his reputation as a coach is well deserved.
He was one of the first batch of players who began training at the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) previous training centre in Taman Maluri and was one of the top men’s singles players before the era of Lee Chong Wei.
The 44-year-old Kay Bin was from the same batch of James Chua, Lee Tsuen Seng and Sairul Amar Ayob.
He then became a respected coach at the New Vision Badminton Academy and had a coaching stint under Li Mao in China after his time as a player.
