SINGAPORE — Former All-England champion Luan Ching and doubles specialist Yoo Yong Sung have been replaced as Singapore’s national chief singles and doubles coaches, respectively, following a review by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) after the disappointing performances at last year’s Li-Ning Singapore Open and the South-east Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar.

The SBA announced the changes to its coaching structure yesterday, with the revamped set-up featuring an all-local roster comprising new chief coach Liu Qingdong, Liu Fan (singles) and Jiang Yanmei (doubles), and NIS team coach Ding Chao.

Liu Qingdong, the current National Intermediate Squad chief coach, will oversee the national and NIS sides. Former national shuttlers Liu Fan and Jiang were part of the SBA’s foreign sports talent scheme, while China-born Liu Qingdong and Ding Chao are now Singapore citizens.

The quartet’s appointments start on Feb 1 and they take over from former chief singles coach Luan Ching and South Korean Yoo.

The SBA Management Committee decided on the coaching revamp after a six-month review conducted by a task force to look into the association’s processes, training methodologies, coaching set-up and tournament plans.

“At this stage, our most immediate task is to create a new coaching structure,” said SBA President Lee Yi Shyan in a press conference at the Singapore Sports School yesterday.

“This will streamline and standardise our coaching and training methodology and create an effective bridge between the NIS and the national team. There are many possible reasons (for the team’s poor performance) … we have to move on and continue to raise the standard of the team. We have to focus on areas where we are sharper and stronger than our opponents, and we are also looking at sparring partners from different countries to raise the standard of play.”

The SBA also plans to introduce a SBA Distinguished Visitors Programme to engage renowned coaches, players and experts to help analyse, critique and improve the team. A Players’ Individual Training Plan will also be implemented to help the shuttlers set short- and long-term training objectives, and allow for regular reviews for each player.

The move is timely after the national team’s dismal performances at recent tournaments.

This includes none of the shuttlers qualifying for the last eight of the Singapore Open in their worst showing since 2006, while the women’s doubles bronze from Shinta Mulia Sari and Yao Lei was the only medal won by the shuttlers at last month’s SEA Games — a far cry from the 2011 SEA Games, where Fu Mingtian won a historic women’s singles gold.

A former chief coach with the Sichuan women’s team (1998-2001), Liu Qingdong worked with players such as 2009 World Championships bronze medallist Pi Hongyan of France before coaching Fu Hua Secondary School in Singapore from 2001 to 2011.

He was appointed chief coach of the NIS in May 2011, with the 23-strong squad enjoying some success at last year’s Li-Ning Singapore Youth International and Badminton Asia Youth Championships (Under-15 and Under-17).

“Our players always think they can just achieve the top eight or top four in competitions,” said the straight-talking Liu. “But their aim should be to win the tournament, and win the gold medal. I told Yao Lei, Shinta and Gu Juan they must get the gold at the Commonwealth Games. The pressure is on them to deliver.”