Only two years ago, we were close to having two MS players together in the Top 10, and set to have both lead our Thomas Cup campaigns. Within a year, we lost both to long-term injuries. Prior to injuries, one was about to break back into Top 5; the other was on his way to Top 10.
Any country that loses its two best players in quick succession is bound to struggle considerably to fill the void. Far more so for a country historically poor at building and cultivating depth across the board, not just MS. Producing depth has always been a challenge for us.
Losing top players is one thing; lacking the safety net of a solid foundation of depth to fall back on is quite another. Our recent struggles are the result of a long-term failure to prioritise and nurture depth: of not adopting a truly depth-conscious approach to development.
When Tze Yong first went down, the players next in line were all ranked outside the Top 35 or 50. Expecting those who have never even been in the Top 30 to step in and turn into at least Top 20 level within 1-2 years is an extremely challenging and impossibly untenable situation.
This was far from new. Over a decade ago, Chong Wei's suspension left us scrambling and struggling to fill the void. Our No. 2 was not even ranked in the Top 30. Expecting him to step in and step up was a ridiculously tall order. He was essentially expected to perform miracles.
We have long struggled with MS depth. The fact that, during Chong Wei's prime, we managed to produce only one other player who won just one solitary title above Grand Prix level (roughly equivalent to today's S100 level) speaks volumes about how poor we are at cultivating depth.
Chong Wei's prime was also defined by a distinct lack of top sparring partners. By contrast, Lin Dan benefited from a wealth of elite Top 5 and Top 10 compatriots to regularly train and spar with. Perhaps this was why Chong Wei's greatest rival was ultimately the greater player.
Nothing has truly changed since then. MS depth remains a chronic shortcoming. The long-standing neglect of depth development continues to haunt us. What we experienced over the past 2 years is the predictable outcome of failing to establish a long-term, depth-conscious approach.
We should have built a more robust, sustainable system for depth cultivation years ago. Action was needed at least a decade ago, but the foundation should ideally have been laid 20-30 years prior. Each year of inaction has only compounded our vulnerability to inevitable crises.
A robust system would have better positioned us to handle crises. For instance, a few more Top 30 or Top 20 players would have provided a safety net to soften the blow of injuries. Losing two top players would still be challenging, but far more manageable and less destabilising.
Generated by Thread Navigator
Press ⌘ + S to quick-export