Truism, platitudes at Thomas, Uber Cups pre-match talks<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Thomas Cup and Uber Cup pre-match interviews
\nare times when everybody says \"We'll do our best.\"<\/p>\n
The hour-long interviews are held daily at 11 a.m. at the
\nJakarta Hilton International hotel, where all the teams are
\nstaying. Each interview brings together the team managers of the
\ngroups that will play the following day and each will also \"do
\ntheir best\" not to reveal his team's strategy.<\/p>\n
\"Secret,\" Carsten Laugesen, Danish Thomas Cup and Uber Cup
\nteam manager, said curtly yesterday when asked how his team would
\nplay against South Korea this evening.<\/p>\n
Aware of pat answers, reporters ask questions such as on the
\nnewly installed air-conditioning system at the Senayan sports
\nhall where the matches are being held.<\/p>\n
\"It makes a big difference. It should have been done 10 or 15
\nyears ago,\" commented Laugesen.<\/p>\n
Another common phrase is \"They are a very strong team\", and
\nevery team manager insists that his team will never take its
\nopponent lightly.<\/p>\n
\"There are no easy matches,\" said Laugesen.<\/p>\n
Even Malaysia, which will play long-shot Thailand this
\nevening, says it is fielding its top guns.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, we'll play our best team although Thailand is the
\nunderdog,\" said team manager Punch Gunalan.<\/p>\n
Thailand, which lost 0-5 to Denmark on Wednesday evening,
\nhopes to fare better against Malaysia this evening.<\/p>\n
\"They are of the same height,\" said team manager Vanchai
\nSansaniyakulvilai.<\/p>\n
\"The last time we played it was against the Danes, who were
\ntall,\" he astutely observed.<\/p>\n
\"My players were scared when they saw the tall Danish
\nplayers,\" he lamented, to which Laugesen said \"Sorry. Next time I
\nwill ask them to go on their knees.\"<\/p>\n
Commenting on his team's next Thomas Cup match against South
\nKorea, Laugesen said he was very anxious because Korea is a
\nstrong team to beat.<\/p>\n
\"But I'm confident,\" he said, adding that hopefully his team
\nwould win two doubles and one singles against Malaysia, whom he
\nsaid performed well in edging South Korea 3-2 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
South Korea's manager Kim Joong-so had something similar to
\nsay about his side's next opponent.<\/p>\n
\"I think Denmark is a very strong team, especially its singles
\nand first doubles,\" said Kim.<\/p>\n
Commenting on China, Laugesen pointed out that the Chinese
\nteam is a mere shell of its former self.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think they (China) can beat Denmark, Malaysia, or
\neven South Korea. Denmark has a better chance against Indonesia
\nthan China,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Uber Cup<\/p>\n
While badminton buffs do not favor Indonesia to capture the
\nUber Cup, world number one Susi Susanti however, believes \"we
\nstill have a good chance to win the coveted trophy.\"<\/p>\n
\"Many pundits say that South Korea and China have better
\nchances to win the Cup, but for me, I could say Indonesia could
\nwin it,\" Susi said.<\/p>\n
She said assessments of the teams' strengths on paper cannot
\nbe used as the only yardstick since they have proven hopelessly
\nwrong on many occasions, especially in a team event like the
\nThomas and Uber Cups.<\/p>\n
Susi cited Indonesia 's upset defeats at the hands of Malaysia
\nin the last three Thomas Cup championships. \"Who would dare
\nsuggest that Malaysia would beat Indonesia because on paper our
\nplayers were better than the Malaysians.\" (lem)<\/p>",
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