The Hindu : Sport / Badminton : Professional managers needed, says Padukone

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 12, 2005

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Sport - Badminton

Professional managers needed, says Padukone

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: "Indian badminton players do not aspire to achieve better results. They need to be focussed and hungry for success. They should not be satisfied with merely representing the country,'' said former All England champion Prakash Padukone.

At a meet the press programme, organised by the West Bengal Badminton Association here on Thursday, Padukone said professional managers should be brought in to run the game in India, and there was no place for amateurs.

"There is a need for professionalism in administration. Honorary people should make way for professional managers to implement the decision taken at the highest level,'' he said.

Speaking on the talent in India, Padukone said, "there is obviously a lot of talent in India.

"Even the playing facilities, equipment and prize money have improved. Yet, Indian players lack effort and determination. They get easily satisfied in whatever they achieve.''

He felt there were plenty of opportunities and incentives available.

Padukone singled out Saina Nehwal as the most promising youngster in the country to do well in future. "In a long time, Saina has been one of the best talent to emerge. She needs to be given all facility to develop into a world class player,'' he said.

On P. Gopi Chand, he said it would be difficult for Gopi to re-enact the magic of winning the All-England. He said India had the potential to be No. 6 in the world. "We have enough talent, especially among men, to reach the ranking. It is an achievable target,'' he felt.

Former National champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta and Nikhil Kanetkar had been around for quite some time without proving much at international meets. Chetan Anand had a lot of talent but failed to realise it. Anup Sridhar, he said, has a long way to go and needed experience at the very top level to excel.

"The problem with our players is that they do not have the intensity to reach international standard,'' he added.

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