New Men’s Doubles Head Coach Herry Iman Pierngadi Assumes Role at Badminton Academy of Malaysia
No Plans to Break Up Existing Pairings for Now
Newly appointed men’s doubles head coach, Herry Iman Pierngadi, has clocked in for his first day of work at the Badminton Academy of Malaysia. According to Herry, he has no plans to break up the existing pairings for now, and instead, he needs time to assess the performance of his players before making any changes.
“I haven’t thought about changing the pairs for now,” he said. “It could be the same during training, but not the same in competitions. So, I’ll observe the performances in the tournaments first. I can’t say for sure how long it will take.”
No Plans to Change Current Training Programme
The 62-year-old coach also has no plans to change the current training programme and acknowledged that he would need time before making any necessary transformations. “So, I have to adapt first, then gradually, we will make small changes, but not total changes,” he said, reminding the players to always enjoy their training sessions.
Helping Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Become More Consistent
Herry expressed hopes of helping former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to become more consistent after their semi-final defeats in the India Open and Indonesia Masters last month. He also praised the 2025 Indonesia Masters champions, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, and is optimistic that the 12th-ranked pair in the world will win more titles based on their current form.
Training Sessions with Professional Pairings
When asked whether he was interested in organising training sessions with professional pairings, such as Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Herry said he would leave that decision to ABM’s coaching director, Rexy Mainaky, and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Since leaving BAM last August, Sze Fei-Izzuddin have shown excellent form, winning the 2024 China Open, finishing as runners-up in the 2024 World Tour Finals, and claiming the 2025 India Open title, and have moved up to number two in the world rankings.
Herry’s Profile
Herry, who has a four-year contract with BAM, is a high-profile coach known for his magic touch in forming world-class men’s doubles teams in Indonesia, including producing Olympic gold medallists Candra Wijaya-Tony Gunawan (Sydney 2000) and Hendra Setiawan-Markis Kido (Beijing 2008). This is his first time expanding his career overseas after dedicating 31 years to coaching the Indonesian national badminton team.
Conclusion
Herry’s appointment as men’s doubles head coach at the Badminton Academy of Malaysia marks a significant development in the country’s bid to improve its performance in the sport. With his wealth of experience and reputation for producing successful teams, Herry is well-placed to help Malaysia achieve its goals. However, he will need time to assess the performance of his players and adapt to the team’s current training programme before making any significant changes.
FAQs
Q: Will Herry break up the existing pairings?
A: No, Herry has no plans to break up the existing pairings for now.
Q: Will Herry change the current training programme?
A: No, Herry has no plans to change the current training programme, and instead, he will adapt first and then make small changes.
Q: Can Herry help Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik become more consistent?
A: Yes, Herry expressed hopes of helping former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to become more consistent.
Q: Will Herry organise training sessions with professional pairings?
A: No, Herry will leave that decision to ABM’s coaching director, Rexy Mainaky, and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).