PETALING JAYA: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
And it is on the basis of that friendship that Liew Daren has returned to the fold of men’s singles star Lee Zii Jia, this time as a coach tasked with helping the former Asian champion rediscover his confidence.
Daren’s appointment came as a surprise, but he said he is ready to shoulder the responsibility of guiding Zii Jia back to his best form this year.
In a surprise announcement by Zii Jia’s management, Team LZJ, on Tuesday, Daren was named as the new coach of the 27-year-old, replacing Yeoh Kay Bin, who will not be extending his contract.
However, Kay Bin will complete his final duties with Zii Jia at the Malaysian Open next week, while the Indian Open a week later will mark Daren’s first assignment as Zii Jia’s coach.
The 38-year-old Daren acknowledged that the task ahead will be a challenging one, especially with his new charge having endured a difficult year plagued by injury setbacks.
“As we have been communicating all this while and we are friends, I know that this year he has been battling with injuries, and we talk a lot, so I can say that everything (this appointment) happened naturally,” said Daren.
“He has suffered quite a few injuries this year, and 2026 will be a challenging year, so I hope I can help him return to his best form.”
This marks a new chapter for Daren after he was handed a 12-month suspension by the Badminton World Federation in 2024 for his involvement in betting activities in 2018.
Now free from the ban, his focus is firmly on helping Zii Jia move forward.
Daren is no stranger to Zii Jia. He was among the early members of the backroom team engaged by the Paris Olympics bronze medallist when Zii Jia first embarked on his independent journey in 2022.
Serving as an assistant coach and sparring partner, Daren learned under two different coaches, Indra Wijaya and Wong Tat Meng, who had previously coached Zii Jia, before he stepped aside following the betting scandal.
“I did some other work with a friend during the suspension period, but that has since ended.
“Actually, even earlier when I was under Indra and Tat Meng, I learned a lot, and I hope the knowledge I gained from them can now be used to guide Zii Jia,” he added.
