CHENNAI: In India's journey of becoming a top squash-playing nation, Malaysia's legendary squash player and coach Major S Maniam's role in building a strong structure in identifying talents and taking them to the biggest stage was critical. His efforts can be seen in the form of the senior players he has groomed, those who turned to coaching after a memorable career. A decade after leaving India, he works as an advisor for his home nation's squash program. In an exclusive chat with this daily, he assessed the competition field for both men's and women's singles events at the Asian Games, Malaysia's chances, and decline of squash in Pakistan Excerpts:
On the Asian Games and teams to watch
The draw is interesting and there is certainly no room for complacency for anyone. Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong all have the talent, depth and experience to make an impact. But the team event is very different from the individual event. Rankings tell you something, but once you get into a team match, it comes down to the order of play, depth, each player's physical condition and, above all, handling of pressure.
On Malaysian players being top seeds
Having Eain Yow Ng and Sivasangari Subramaniam as the top seeds is significant, but seeding does not win matches. What is encouraging is that Malaysia has depth behind them. We have a group of players who are capable of competing internationally, rather than relying on one or two individuals. That is important for the long-term health of Malaysian squash.
On Eain Yow and Sivasangari
Yow is a very accomplished player who has reached the world's top 10 before. What I particularly like about his game is his competitive intelligence. He understands the physical and tactical battle. He retrieves extremely well, has good length, moves efficiently and is very difficult to break down. If there is one area I would focus on, it is converting pressure into points more efficiently. With Sangari, she is no longer simply an athletic player who relies on retrieving. Her tactical understanding and ability to construct a rally have improved considerably. Her biggest strengths are her movement, physical resilience, retrieving and ability to withstand pressure. Her challenge will be maintaining concentration and emotional control throughout the tournament, particularly because she carries the expectation of being the top seed. And she cannot underestimate her seasoned rival Satomi Watanabe and the younger players coming through, particularly India's Anahat Singh.
On India's chances in singles event
Both Anahat & Abhay Singh have genuine medal possibilities. Abhay has developed into a very competitive senior player. He has the temperament and experience for big matches and can put pressure on the best players. Anahat is particularly exciting. She is still very young but is already competing against top-level opposition. She has the skills and natural ability. The question is whether she can sustain that level physically and mentally through a demanding major Games tournament but I would certainly not underestimate either of them.
On Indian squash and transition
I see it as a positive transition. India have moved from the generation of Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal into a younger group led by Abhay Singh, Velavan Senthilkumar, Veer Chotrani, Anahat and others. The positive thing is that these young players are not waiting for the older generation to disappear. They are already competing internationally. India also have a strong development structure, and if they continue to convert this talent into consistent senior-level performers, they will remain a major force in Asian squash.
On Eain Yow's chances of winning gold
Yow has a very realistic opportunity. He has the experience, physical strength and tactical maturity to win gold. But I would never say it is guaranteed. At this level, one bad match or one bad period can change everything. The key for Yow is to reproduce his best squash over several consecutive matches and, when he gets an advantage, close the match out.
On how Malaysia continues to produce top squash players
Malaysia has a genuine squash culture that has been developed over generations. We have an excellent national squash development programme. Each of the 14 states contribute positively to this programme. At the national level we have a back-up squad for both juniors and seniors. Selected players at the top end are based overseas in established training environments. There are enough domestic competitions for all levels. We have also invested extensively in coaching and coach education. And, of course, role models matter. Nicol David showed an entire generation of Malaysian children that a Malaysian player could become World No. 1. But we should not depend on exceptional individuals. The real objective is to build a system capable of producing international players consistently.
On Malaysia's chances in team event
Malaysia has genuine medal aspirations in both the men's and women's team events as well as in the mixed doubles event. As you are aware, sports are unpredictable. You can have the stronger team on paper and still lose. Match-ups become extremely important. So does the order of play, physical freshness and the ability to perform under pressure. The priority is to get everyone healthy and confident into the knockout stage. After that, anything can happen.
On decline of squash in Pakistan
Pakistan's decline is one of the biggest stories not only in Asian squash but World squash. Remember, this is the country that produced Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and generation after generation of world-class players. The issue is not a lack of talent. The problem has been maintaining the system around talent-coaching, physical preparation, competitive opportunities, player development, funding and a clear pathway from junior to professional squash. What Pakistan needs is a sustainable system to develop talent.
On Noor Zaman being Pakistan's only hope
Noor Zaman is certainly their leading player and a very dangerous opponent, but Pakistan has other capable players as well. The bigger issue for Pakistan is not finding one Noor Zaman. It is developing two, three or four players together who can compete consistently at international level. That is how you rebuild a squash nation.
On reports of issues with accommodation in Japan and how players should deal with it
Firstly,one must understand that hosting a major Games event is no mean task. These are teething problems and will be solved in quick time. As for the players, this is where mental preparation becomes important. You cannot control the accommodation, transport, accreditation or organisation. You can control your sleep, nutrition, hydration, recovery, warm-up, preparation and your response to distractions. I would tell a player very simply: "Don't spend energy fighting the environment. Spend energy preparing to beat your opponent." At a major Games, the athlete who adapts quickest often has an advantage
