Li Yongbo steps down as head coach – what do people think?

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Li Yongbo steps down from his position as head coach of the Chinese badminton team, which he has held for 24 years. Tencent Sports, April 11 (By Zhang Nan) Today, according to media reports, the Chinese Olympic Committee is about to establish an expert committee; individuals such as Li Yongbo, Huang Yubin, Wang Yifu, and Feng Shuyong will take on new roles in this new department, while they will also relinquish their positions as head coaches and other administrative roles. In response to this, the author also contacted Li Yongbo, the current head coach of the Chinese badminton team. He admitted that he would step down from his position as head coach, and he considered a new role to be a good thing, as it would allow him to devote more time to training young athletes and promoting fitness programs among the general public. It is understood that the Chinese badminton team will complete the selection process for its coaching staff before the Sudirman Cup. At the start of each new Olympic cycle, sports teams hold competitions to select coaches, and this is not considered a major event. On the side of the Chinese badminton team, it usually involves competitive applications for head coaching positions in several individual events: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, and women’s doubles. This competition covers a broader scope; it involves not only positions of head coach for individual sports but also the position of general manager, and recruitment is open to the public. The author got in touch with head coach Li Yongbo himself. In response to this question, Li Yongbo said that he was basically determined to step down from his positions as head coach and deputy director of the Table Tennis and Badminton Center, in order to work on the Expert Committee of the Chinese Olympic Committee. In addition to him, this expert committee includes other outstanding and successful coaches from various projects. He is not very familiar with the current workflow and progress of the coaching staff recruitment process. “This matter has not been officially announced yet; I’m not very clear about how the adjustments will be carried out, including the recruitment process, and I won’t be involved in it. Regarding team adjustments, one must follow the arrangements made by the General Administration and the Table Tennis and Badminton Center. ”Li Yongbo said so. Giving up on the Chinese badminton team, which he coached for 24 years and helped bring its greatest honors, was indeed a difficult decision for Li Yongbo; however, due to his age and energy levels, he can no longer match the standards of his past self. \"It has been very tough and exhausting to be in this position all these years; I feel tired myself as well.\" ”In fact, Li Yongbo has always wanted to engage in work outside of competitive sports. Such a change relieves him of his concerns, allowing him to focus on doing what he truly wants to do: “Having been the head coach for so many years, it’s time to give opportunities to younger people to take charge, so that they can lead the team forward with newer approaches.” Maybe this will be better for the team. It was only a matter of time before I stepped back from the front line to work on some promotion projects. ”Next, he will carry out consulting work within the expert committee, while also working on promoting fitness among the general public, training young athletes, and spreading the sport of badminton. However, since the handover is still in progress and the new director of the center has just taken office, no discussions have been held with the coaching staff regarding this matter. Additionally, the selection process for a new coach in the Chinese badminton team has not yet been scheduled. It is indeed quite rushed to assemble a new coaching staff before the Sudirman Cup next month; therefore, it is possible that Li Yongbo will continue to lead the team in the Sudirman Cup. Everything will depend on the progress of the handover process and the selection procedure.