Great Britain singles coach Kenneth Jonassen will be returning to Denmark after this summer’s BWF World Championships in China, according to a Badminton England press release issued yesterday. GB Performance Director Jens Grill said: “I will be sorry to see Kenneth go on both a professional and personal level. He has instilled a strong work ethic into our performance environment and has been a great influence on his fellow coaches within the GB structure.
“Kenneth is having to return home for family reasons and I completely understand his situation. I wish we could have kept him through the next important phase for GB Badminton but before he leaves, Kenneth is determined to sign off with us on a high note at the World Championships in China in the summer after which he will take up a new role with Badminton Denmark and we will wish him well.”
Jonassen has worked with the Great Britain singles players in Milton Keynes since 2010.
“I am sorry I cannot stay longer to finish what I have started but together with my wife, the family have decided that it was the right time to return to Denmark,” Jonassen was quoted in the press release as saying. “I have enjoyed my time working with the GB squad, with the coaches and the staff here at the NBC and the responsibility given to me. I am also grateful for the investment into my personal development enabled by both Jens Grill and UK Sport.
“I will have been in England for three years after the World Championships this summer – three great years – and it will be a time I will never forget.”
Badminton England Chief Executive Adrian Christy said that Jonassen would be helping in the search for his replacement to make the transition smooth and to avoid interruption in the team’s preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Click here to read the complete press release
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Somehow I don’t feel this is purely for “family” reasons as he has walked straight into another role with Badminton Denmark.
The results of English singles players since his arrival have been nothing to boast about. Ouseph was ranked at No11 in the world in 2010 (when Kenneth came to England) and at present he is 34 in the world. I am not saying this is due to Kenneth, I fear it goes much deeper than this and hence the move back to Denmark. Maybe he wanted certain things to happen at Milton Keynes and they haven’t materialised, which won’t be the first time. Look at Joo Bong Park; he came to England, and eventually left!!! Went to Japan where his/their results speak for themselves.
Just an assumption here, but maybe the problem is with Badminton England