Misbun backs Chong Wei for consultant role after icon reveals coaching offers

Misbun Sidek, who played an instrumental role in Lee Chong Wei’s meteoric rise to the top of the game, recommended his former protégé to take up a consultant role should there be an offer abroad.

His suggestion came after Lee told New Straits Times about coaching offers from several Asian countries to become their national coach.

Although Misbun, who nurtured Lee from his early teens to winning his first Olympic silver medal in 2008, did not discount the former world number one as a coach, he said his former star student could be eased into an advisory role first.

“He could become someone to analyse the game and build a portfolio where he needs to take charge from all angles from technical, tactical, mental and physical, it takes a lot of experience.

“To reach an intermediate level of coaching will also take time. For now, I see him more in an advisory or an analyser role. He was such a great player and has good analysis of the game,” said Misbun, who also felt Lee would be more suited to take up a role overseas.

“If it is over here, people will look at his background and compare him to other coaches over here. Whereas if he goes overseas, he will command the respect and gain the confidence to do the job. Just like how the Indonesian coaches working here have done.

“Once he can command respect, he can progress from there,” he added.

As a player, the Penangite held the world number one ranking for 349 weeks in total, winning 69 titles in total.

The Malaysian retired from the game in 2019 after he was diagnosed with first-stage nose cancer but already made a full recovery since then.