Indon coach eyes ace shuttlers for '16 Games

 MANILA, Philippines - There’s no guarantee that the Philippine badminton team will start raking in the gold under its new coach, an Olympic champion from Indonesia.

“Sorry to say but I’m not a magician,” said Rexy Mainaky, who can’t remember the exact number of gold medals he’d won for Indonesia in the international circuit.

But he will be remembered best for winning the doubles gold in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and in the World Championships in Lausanne a year before that.

“I will just do my best,” added the 44-year-old Mainaky, who had coached England and Malaysia before deciding to face the challenge in the Philippines.

“Hopefully I can build a (Philippine) team for the Olympics in 2016. That’s my plan. If in two years I cannot produce then I leave,” he said.

Mainaky graced yesterday’s PSA Forum together with Vice President Jojo Binay, chief of the Philippine Badminton Association, and PBA sec-gen and Rep. Albee Benitez.

The Indonesian ace turned down new offers from England and Russia to help the Philippine team, still in search of the gold in major international events.

Mainaky was offered the moon by the PBA, including a monthly salary of $12,000 and the best living conditions for his family, which will soon join him in Manila.

Binay said it should be worth every penny.

“By all means we wanted to get him. To get him was priority number one. So, this is a milestone for us. He’s our most expensive coach,” said Binay as he sat beside Mainaky.

“He will help us realize our dream. He has the track record and we are optimistic. He is known to be a disciplinarian, and sometimes its discipline that’s lacking in our athletes,” said Binay.

“Subok na. He’s tested,” said Benitez, a congressman from Negros Occidental. He said the PBA could not have succeeded luring Mainaky without the help of its chairman, sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan.

He also thanked other badminton sponsors like Bingo Bonanza, Sun Cellular, Victor/PCOME and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Binay said Mainaky’s decision to move to the Philippines is now a hot topic within the international badminton community.

“People are already asking how we were able to get him. I just hope this will not be another Scarborough problem,” Binay said in jest, referring to the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China.

“We cannot draw the ire of the Malaysian government because of this,” the Vice President added.

Mainaky will travel around the country and hopes to gather as many talents, aged 12 to 17 years, to form the juniors team that should eventually carry the fight for the Philippines.

Benitez also clarified that it’s a long-term goal, and two years will not be enough. He said they’re looking at Mainaky serving the Philippines for at least four years.

“Actually it’s two (years) plus two.  We don’t expect to win the gold overnight. It will take time. We have to give him full support and hope he delivers,” he said.

“We may not win the gold medal soon. But we want to be in the same level as the powerhouse teams. We’re giving Rexy the free hand,” Benitez added.