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Malaysian badminton legend Lee Chong Wei expressed on his Facebook page that he has no intention of becoming a coach right now.
He would rather stay in Malaysia with his family while savouring Ramadan delicacies and looking forward to the Hari Raya Puasa open houses.
Positive reaction from netizens
Many of his fans took to the comments section to express their support for Lee's decision — saying that he made a good choice by putting his family first.
There were even some netizens who jokingly invited him to their home during the coming festive season.
Screenshot of comments from Lee Chong Wei's Facebook page.
Still sought after
Though the badminton legend retired back in 2019, he is still highly sought after for his stellar skills in the sport.
He previously mentioned to the New Straits Times that he was approached by several Asian countries to take up the mantle as a coach.
It was also rumoured that one of the countries could potentially be Singapore after an available coaching position for the men's singles was advertised earlier this year.
Lee told NST that his top priority now is his family. He focusses on his business since his retirement — enjoying life at his own pace.
Encouraged to take offers overseas
Lee's former mentor, Misbun Sidek, encouraged the badminton legend to venture abroad and take up coaching positions overseas.
He mentioned to NST that it was vital for Lee to prove himself at an international stage before coming home to coach in Malaysia.
Misbun also pointed out that Lee will need to accumulate coaching experience and "will need to reach a certain level" to truly become a full-fledged coach.
Former World No. 1
Lee ranked in the international top spot for 349 consecutive weeks, the longest out of any badminton player in history.
He also won all six tournaments of the Super Series Premier, amounting to a record 46 BWF Super Series singles titles and another record-breaking 18 Super Series Premier singles finals.
Additionally, he had won 69 tournaments in both the Olympic Games and World Championships, and was the Chef de Mission for Malaysia in the previous Tokyo 2020 Olympic games.
His retirement in June 2019 was due to nose cancer and the risk of relapse should he participate in high-intensity activities.
Read More:
https://mothership.sg/2022/04/lee-chong-wei-coaching-offer/
https://mothership.sg/2019/06/lee-chong-wei-retire-badminton/
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